In 2021, 2022, and again in 2024, Apple TV+ has been found to have the highest average IMDb score out of all streaming services, according to a study from Self Financial that reviews which streaming services offer the best content for your money. From the report:

• AppleTV+ has the highest average IMDb score for its streaming library (7.01/10), but has the smallest library of content.
• Apple TV+ has the lowest amount of family-friendly content but has the highest-rated age-appropriate shows and movies (7.3/10) with Max the second-highest-rated (6.9/10), Disney+’s family-friendly content scored just 6.6/10 on IMDb.
• Apple TV+ has 119 pieces of 4K content, just behind Max (HBO) with 130, however Apple’s 4K content is rated 7.15/10 higher than Max’s 7.11.
• When it came to genres, Apple TV+ has the highest-rated ‘action &...

Over the weekend, Tim Cook confirmed that Apple Vision Pro will launch in China later this year. The Information now reports that Apple has reached a key deal with Tencent to make a number of China’s most popular apps available on Vision Pro.

The report also makes mention that Apple is “pursuing” ways to launch its own content services, like Apple TV+, in China.

more…...

A confusing update to Apple's Developer pages claims that iPadOS 17.4.1 is shipping on March 26, despite having already been released on March 21.


iPadOS on an iPad
On Tuesday morning, AppleInsider spotted an update on the Apple Releases RSS feed, which lists new updates to Apple's operating systems. Unusually, it stated that iPadOS 17.4.1 would ship at 5 PM GMT (1 PM EDT.)

This is unusual for two reasons, with the main one being that iPadOS 17.4.1 is already available to install, having done so since March 21 alongside updates to iOS 17.4.1 and...

Global Extended Reality (XR) headset shipments dropped 19% year-over-year (YoY) in 2023, according to Counterpoint’s Global XR (AR & VR Headsets) Model Tracker. However, the Apple Vision Pro could help spur an increase in sales, the research group adds.

Counterpoint says the YoY decline was caused by the absence of compelling new XR headsets, as well as a lack of attractive and engaging use cases beyond gaming. However, the launch of the highly anticipated Sony PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2) and Meta Quest 3 during the year helped mitigate a steeper decline in 2023.

Meta captured 59% of total global XR headset shipments in 2023, down from 77% in 2022. Counterpoint says this was mainly due to strengthened competition from Sony’s latest PSVR2. Meta’s shipment volume also declined by 38% YoY in 2023. 

However,...

Global Extended Reality (XR) headset shipments dropped 19% year-over-year (YoY) in 2023, according to Counterpoint’s Global XR (AR & VR Headsets) Model Tracker. However, the Apple Vision Pro could help spur an increase in sales, the research group adds.

Counterpoint says the YoY decline was caused by the absence of compelling new XR headsets, as well as a lack of attractive and engaging use cases beyond gaming. However, the launch of the highly anticipated Sony PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2) and Meta Quest 3 during the year helped mitigate a steeper decline in 2023.

Meta captured 59% of total global XR headset shipments in 2023, down from 77% in 2022. Counterpoint says this was mainly due to strengthened competition from Sony’s latest PSVR2. Meta’s shipment volume also declined by 38% YoY in 2023. 

However,...

Philips Hue parent company Signify today announced an expanded relationship with Samsung, bringing the Philips Hue Sync TV app to additional countries, adding a Music Mode, and introducing a monthly subscription option.

As of last year, Samsung TV owners have been able to download a Philips Hue Sync app that allows Samsung smart TVs to be linked to HomeKit-connected Hue bulbs and lighting products. With the integration, content played on Samsung TVs is synced to the lighting in the room.

When the feature launched, it was priced at $130 for Samsung TV owners, but starting this spring, there will be a lower-priced subscription option. Customers can choose to pay a monthly fee of $2.99 to use the Hue Sync app on up to three TVs, or a one-time fee to unlock it on a single TV. The Philips Hue Sync TV app is launching in Brazil, Hong Kong, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, so...

Apple has yet to reach a generative AI partnership with Chinese company Baidu, according to a China Daily report citing sources familiar with the matter. Some earlier reports said the two companies had finalized an agreement following discussions. It is possible that the negotiations are still ongoing, but this is not confirmed.

If the partnership does happen, Baidu would likely power some of iOS 18's rumored generative AI features in China only. Generative AI models must receive approval from the Chinese government, and Baidu's Ernie chatbot is permitted in the country. Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbots are not available in China.

Apple has reportedly held similar generative AI partnership discussions...

A photo of what could be a case for the iPhone 16 Pro may have revealed the size and location of a rumored new button.


A gap in a case for the iPhone 16 Pro [Sonny Dickson/X]
Apple's big external change on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max was the inclusion of the Action Button instead of a switch to toggle mute. If an image is to be taken at face value it may have more plans for the next generation of smartphones.

In a photograph released by Sonny Dickson via X on Tuesday morning, a case is shown with a black bumper and a clear rear section, as well as the square camera...

Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models will come in new "space black" and "rose" titanium colors, claims a new rumor out of China.

According to a Weibo post shared by leaker ShrimpApplePro on X (Twitter), the Blue Titanium color that iPhone 15 Pro models are currently available in will be dropped from the iPhone 16 Pro lineup in favor of the new rose color. Meanwhile, "space black," which is said to be similar to the iPhone 14 Pro color of the same name, will replace Black Titanium.

The rumor also claims that the Natural and White Titanium colors will be slightly different on the iPhone 16 Pro models. Natural Titanium is said to be returning, but with more of a gray tint to it. Meanwhile, White Titanium will appear more like a "silver white" color, which is also said to be similar to the silver version of the iPhone 14 Pro.

The Weibo user that is the source of the...

The Canalys research group predicts that that China’s PC (excluding tablets) market will rebound to 3% growth in 2024 and 10% growth in 2025, primarily fueled by refresh demand from the commercial sector. 

However, the tablet market is expected to grow by 4% in both 2024 and 2025, benefiting from increasing penetration as digitalization deepens. That should be good news for the iPad.

The PC (excluding tablets) market in Mainland China ended 2023 with a 9% year-on-year decline in quarter four (Q4), with 11.3 million units shipped. Desktops experienced a 13% drop to 3.3 million units, while notebook shipments decreased by 7% year on year to 8.1 million units. This led to overall shipments of 41.2 million units in 2023, down 17% from 2022.  However, Apple doesn’t rank in the top five PC makers in China; those are Lenovo, HP, Huawei, Dell, and Asus.

HoweverChina’s tablet market saw a decline of...

The Canalys research group predicts that that China’s PC (excluding tablets) market will rebound to 3% growth in 2024 and 10% growth in 2025, primarily fueled by refresh demand from the commercial sector. 

However, the tablet market is expected to grow by 4% in both 2024 and 2025, benefiting from increasing penetration as digitalization deepens. That should be good news for the iPad.

The PC (excluding tablets) market in Mainland China ended 2023 with a 9% year-on-year decline in quarter four (Q4), with 11.3 million units shipped. Desktops experienced a 13% drop to 3.3 million units, while notebook shipments decreased by 7% year on year to 8.1 million units. This led to overall shipments of 41.2 million units in 2023, down 17% from 2022.  However, Apple doesn’t rank in the top five PC makers in China; those are Lenovo, HP, Huawei, Dell, and Asus.

HoweverChina’s tablet market saw a decline of...

Chinese tech giant Tencent has agreed to make some of its most important apps available on Apple’s Vision Pro headset ahead of its launch in the country later this year, according to The Information (a subscription is required to read the article).

Tencent is one of the highest grossing multimedia companies in the world based on revenue. It’s also the world’s largest company in the video game industry based on its equity investments.

On March 24 Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Vision Pro will hit the mainland China market later this year, reported Reuters. He revealed the headset’s China launch plan in response to a media question on the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing, CCTV finance said on its Weibo social...

Chinese tech giant Tencent has agreed to make some of its most important apps available on Apple’s Vision Pro headset ahead of its launch in the country later this year, according to The Information (a subscription is required to read the article).

Tencent is one of the highest grossing multimedia companies in the world based on revenue. It’s also the world’s largest company in the video game industry based on its equity investments.

On March 24 Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Vision Pro will hit the mainland China market later this year, reported Reuters. He revealed the headset’s China launch plan in response to a media question on the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing, CCTV finance said on its Weibo social...

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Apple TV+ has announced that it’s renewed “The Last Thing He Told Me” for a second season.

It will be based on the upcoming sequel to the book by Laura Dave. Her follow-up novel is confirmed for publication in 2025 — from Simon & Schuster/Marysue Ricci Books in the U.S., and Penguin Random House/Century Books in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand — ahead of the premiere of the second season of the Apple TV+ series. 

Hailing from 20th Television and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine (a part of Candle Media), “The Last Thing He Told Me” season two will expand the story with stars Jennifer Garner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Angourie Rice and David Morse set to reprise their roles. The...

Apple TV+ has announced that it’s renewed “The Last Thing He Told Me” for a second season.

It will be based on the upcoming sequel to the book by Laura Dave. Her follow-up novel is confirmed for publication in 2025 — from Simon & Schuster/Marysue Ricci Books in the U.S., and Penguin Random House/Century Books in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand — ahead of the premiere of the second season of the Apple TV+ series. 

Hailing from 20th Television and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine (a part of Candle Media), “The Last Thing He Told Me” season two will expand the story with stars Jennifer Garner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Angourie Rice and David Morse set to reprise their roles. The...

Since I can’t cover everything, here are some recommended articles you should check out:

° From 9to5Mac: The Chinese media is reporting that Apple is buying AI services from local tech giant Baidu. 

° From AppleInsider: Third-party Apple TV remotes no longer working for some after the tvOS 17.4 update.

° From 9to5Mac: The Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against basically complains that “iPhones are cool,” says one lawyer.

° From Bloomberg: Apple CEO Tim Cook says artificial intelligence is fundamental to the company’s recycling efforts....

Since I can’t cover everything, here are some recommended articles you should check out:

° From 9to5Mac: The Chinese media is reporting that Apple is buying AI services from local tech giant Baidu. 

° From AppleInsider: Third-party Apple TV remotes no longer working for some after the tvOS 17.4 update.

° From 9to5Mac: The Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against basically complains that “iPhones are cool,” says one lawyer.

° From Bloomberg: Apple CEO Tim Cook says artificial intelligence is fundamental to the company’s recycling efforts....

While sales of the iPhone are down in China, new research claims that they have recently stabilized, and overall smartphone demand may even be about to rise.


iPhone 15 Pro range
Declining iPhone sales in China have been portrayed as a key one of the many pressures on Apple. The decline is significant enough that Tim Cook even had to spin the figures a little in the latest earnings report.

Then generally, investors have predicted that problems in China are increasing — but also that there are signs of potential recovery. Now investment firm TD Cowen, in a note...

Only a day after the U.S. Department of Justice filed an omnibus antitrust lawsuit against Apple, consumers filed a trio of class-action lawsuits for allegedly monopolizing the smartphone market. The DOJ filed its antitrust lawsuit against Apple as of March 20, following a five-year investigation into the company’s business practices. Almost immediately after, at least […]

Source

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In this episode of Apple @ Work, I talk with Roger Sands from Wyebot about the state of networking, how generative AI will impact network management, and much more.

...

Augmented World Expo (AWE) is adding a developer workshop focused on the Apple Vision Pro.

Registration is now open for the full day AWE Vision Workshop. It will take place at the Long Beach Convention Center on June 17th, 2024, immediately before the three-day AWE conference from June 18-20th. (Note: this event isn’tt affiliated with Apple.)

The workshop will be sponsored by Unity, a platform of tools for creators to build and grow real-time games, apps, and experiences across multiple platforms. Unity will showcase and demo how its platform works for spatial computing, enabling a wide range of experiences, from games and entertainment to industrial use cases such as training for Apple Vision Pro.

Raven Zachary and Dom Sagolla, co-founders of VisionDevCamp, will host the workshop. Workshop sessions will reportedly be led by...

A month-end deal at Best Buy delivers the lowest price on record on Apple's upgraded 15-inch MacBook Air with 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD.


Save up to $400 on MacBook Air models at Best Buy.
The AppleInsider 15-inch MacBook Air Price Guide is tracking the record-breaking discount on the premium model that's currently on sale for $1,499 at Best Buy.

Buy for $1,499


Continue Reading on AppleInsider

Apple recently released iOS 17.4.1 and macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, both with two security patches. For users running older versions of macOS, the company has now released a standalone update for Safari, its own web browser, with the same patches included with macOS 14.4.1.

more…

On March 21, the United States Justice Department sued Apple for antitrust violations, concluding a multi-year investigation into Apple's business practices. The U.S. government is also pursuing antitrust cases against Google, Amazon, and Meta, as part of an expansive look into the practices of major tech companies.

Apple plans to "vigorously defend" against the DoJ's lawsuit, which seeks to fundamentally change the way that Apple operates. This will be a legal battle that spans multiple years, and we'll keep this guide updated with the latest news as the case progresses.

DoJ's Claims

The lawsuit that the DoJ filed against Apple is broad ranging, and rather than focusing on one or two issues, it aims to establish a long-running history of anti-competitive behavior. The DoJ tries to establish a pattern of business decisions that have suppressed competition, with the...

Apple’s Journal app debuted in December as part of iOS 17.2, with Apple touting a number of intelligent suggestions features. One of those features is now garnering attention on social media for being enabled by default: “Discoverable by Others.”

While the social media posts would lead you to believe this feature is sharing your name and location with everyone around you, that’s not actually the case. Here’s what you need to know.

more…

If you're still on an iPhone 11 or iPhone 12 series model, Apple wants you to know why you should upgrade to one of any iPhone 15 models with a new comparison tool.


New iPhone compare page
Customers have always been able to compare Macs, iPads, iPhones, and other Apple products using a simple spec comparison tool built into Apple's website. A new webpage dedicated to potential upgraders with a more streamlined comparison experience has popped up.

The new "Reasons to Upgrade" website was first discovered by 9to5Mac. It provides a simple tool for...

Apple is making it easier for iPhone users to know what’s new when they’re shopping for a new device. A new “Reasons to Upgrade” tool on Apple’s website offers an in-depth look at the differences between the iPhone 15 and older models dating back to the iPhone 11.

more…

Apple today added a "Why Upgrade" section to its website, which is aimed at encouraging customers with older iPhones to upgrade to a newer model.

The website allows customers to compare the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max to the iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max.

Each comparison shows what new features someone with an older ‌iPhone‌ will get when upgrading to the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup. With the ‌iPhone‌ 11, for example, the ‌iPhone 15‌ offers 4x better photo resolution, more base storage, Action and Cinematic mode for video, USB-C, a 60 percent faster GPU, 5G, and more.

The site highlights differences in display technology, design, sizing, connectivity, and more. Apple...

Apple's AI strategy may not necessarily be to only offer the best AI apps it can produce, but instead deliver an enhanced AI App Store that may debut at WWDC.


Apple AI
Apple, like many other tech companies, is hard at work introducing AI elements to its operating systems and software, and could potentially bring those products out to consumers in 2024. However, Apple may have other plans on how to make money from AI.

Speaking to CNBC on Monday, Melius Research head...

Apple doesn’t say what has changed for macOS 13.6.6 Ventura, but the bugs fixed in macOS 14.4.1 Sonoma have bedeviled users for the last two weeks.

Equipped with four Thunderbolt 4 ports for easy connection to a MacBook, the Belkin 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Core Hub is discounted to $99.99, a 50% off markdown with promo code.


Save 50% on the Belkin Thunderbolt 4 5-in-1 Dock.
Thunderbolt 4 Certified, the Belkin TB4 5-in-1 Core Hub is half off while supplies last with coupon code SS24. This substantial markdown delivers the cheapest price we've seen on the hub that features four Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Save 50% w/ code SS24


...

I wish the government would just butt out (Apple ISN’Tt a monopoly), but on March 21, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. Now some copycat lawsuits are following in its wake.

According to Reuters, Apple has been hit with a flurry of new consumer lawsuits accusing the iPhone maker of monopolizing the smartphone market, piggybacking the lawsuit filed  by the DOJ and 15 states last week. At least three proposed class actions have been filed since Friday in  and New Jersey federal courts by iPhone owners who claim Apple inflated the cost of its products through anticompetitive conduct.

(Hmmm, why don’t those folks filing the...

I wish the government would just butt out (Apple ISN’Tt a monopoly), but on March 21, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. Now some copycat lawsuits are following in its wake.

According to Reuters, Apple has been hit with a flurry of new consumer lawsuits accusing the iPhone maker of monopolizing the smartphone market, piggybacking the lawsuit filed  by the DOJ and 15 states last week. At least three proposed class actions have been filed since Friday in  and New Jersey federal courts by iPhone owners who claim Apple inflated the cost of its products through anticompetitive conduct.

(Hmmm, why don’t those folks filing the...

iOS 17.4.1 and macOS 14.4.1 have arrived for all users after the major iOS 17.4/macOS 14.4 updates. Now Apple has revealed what important security patches come with the latest updates for iPhone, Mac, and more.

more…

Apple has released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, which contains several bug fixes. According to Apple’s release notes: this update provides bug fixes for your Mac, including:
– USB hubs connected to external displays may not be recognized
– Copy protected Audio Unit plug-ins designed for professional music apps may not open or pass validation
– Apps that include Java may quit unexpectedly

macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

The post Apple releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 with several bug fixes. appeared first on MacTech.com.

Apple has released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, which contains several bug fixes. According to Apple’s release notes: this update provides bug fixes for your Mac, including:
– USB hubs connected to external displays may not be recognized
– Copy protected Audio Unit plug-ins designed for professional music apps may not open or pass validation
– Apps that include Java may quit unexpectedly

macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

The post Apple releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 with several bug fixes. appeared first on MacTech.com.

YouTuber Scott Yu-Jan is back at it again, this time fusing a Mac Studio and an iPad mini into a design inspired by the original Macintosh.


Image Credit: Scott Yu-Jan
Inspired by the 1984 Macintosh, designer and YouTuber Scott Yu-Jan decided to see if he could find a way to make use of his underutilized iPad mini while at his desk. He settled on creating a dock for his Mac Studio that would use the iPad mini as a secondary screen.

The video shows his design process as he quickly comes up with ideas for what the dock can do. After scrapping a few he deems unrealistic — including a pair of cupholders in the back — he finally chooses his design.


...

The results of our poll asking which podcast apps TidBITS readers prefer reveal that Marco Arment’s Overcast is by far the most popular, well ahead of Apple Podcasts. No other podcast app broke double digits.

Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the ‌macOS Sonoma‌ operating system that launched last September. ‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.4.1 comes three weeks after ‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.4.

The ‌‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who are still running macOS Ventura.

According to Apple's release notes, the ‌macOS Sonoma‌ 14.4.1 update fixes an issue that could cause USB hubs connected to external displays not to be recognized. It also addresses an issue that could cause apps with Java to quit unexpectedly, and it fixes an issue that could cause Audio Unit plug-ins for professional music apps not to open.

All three of these bugs are notable issues that Mac users have been...

Apple has unveiled a new Documentation site that lets users browse for information about Apple hardware and (older) software. It’s a big win, especially considering the sorry state of the Apple website’s search engine, but some parts of it still need work.

Apple has been hit with a flurry of new consumer lawsuits accusing the iPhone maker of monopolizing the smartphone market, piggybacking on a sweeping antitrust case lodged by the U.S. Justice Department and 15 states last week. From a report: At least three proposed class actions have been filed since Friday in California and New Jersey federal courts by iPhone owners who claim Apple inflated the cost of its products through anticompetitive conduct. The lawsuits, seeking to represent millions of consumers, mirror the Justice Department's claims that Apple violated U.S. antitrust law by suppressing technology for messaging apps, digital wallets and other items that would have increased competition in the market for smartphones.

...

Best Buy has kicked off the week with the introduction of a new sitewide sale that includes big discounts on video game consoles, TVs, headphones, and Apple products. Specifically, you can find all-time low prices on the iPad Air and M2 MacBook Air during this event.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Video Games

Sony's PlayStation 5 Slim console launched last November and Best Buy and other retailers have been hosting solid deals on the hardware for a few weeks now. At Best Buy, you can get the PS5 Slim (Disc Edition) Spider-Man 2 Bundle for $449.99, down from its launch price of $499.99.

The PS5 Slim (Digital Edition) Spider-Man 2 Bundle is available for $399.99...

Monday’s best deals have a fitting spring discount as a headliner, dropping Apple Watch SE 2 styles down to $189 just in time for warm weather workouts. You can also score a rare deal on Apple’s original Leather MagSafe Wallet at $25, while 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro now starts from $1,605. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

more…

FrankOVD shares a report: Here's a paragraph from the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit against Apple in full: "In addition to degrading the quality of third-party messaging apps, Apple affirmatively undermines the quality of rival smartphones. For example, if an iPhone user messages a non-iPhone user in Apple Messages -- the default messaging app on an iPhone -- then the text appears to the iPhone user as a green bubble and incorporates limited functionality: the conversation is not encrypted, videos are pixelated and grainy, and users cannot edit messages or see typing indicators.

"This signals to users that rival smartphones are lower quality because the experience of messaging friends and family who do not own iPhones is worse -- even though Apple, not the rival smartphone, is the cause of that degraded user experience. Many non-iPhone users also experience social stigma, exclusion, and blame for 'breaking' chats where other participants own iPhones. This effect is particularly...

Does the European Union, the United States, or other governments need to intervene to fix potential problems in competitive markets for personal computing?


Apple has a monopoly on the Steve Jobs Theater
Apple's App Store, iPhone and its services including Messages are getting extreme scrutiny by governments globally. Many of those governments seem skeptical that their citizens are buying expensive things from Apple because they are better, rather than being forced to buy things from Apple that are better because they have no real choice.

Is the free market failing, and should governments intervene to fix things?


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our...

Two senators who have received classified TikTok national security briefings say that the information revealed to them has left them “deeply troubled.”

They are calling for the information to be declassified, as they say it is “critically important” that the American people can consider the issues for themselves – especially if they currently use the Chinese-owned app …

more…

Read about the DOJ’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple: Sponsored by DirecTV Stream: The best way to watch every single NCAA March...

On this episode of HomeKit Insider, a new robotic lawn mower, a new smart home security program, and how to prepare your smart home for spring.


HomeKit Insider Podcast
Segway, known for its mobility devices, is releasing a new autonomous mower. The Navimow i Series is available starting at $999. To get this in Apple Home, we'll have to wait to see if Matter or Apple adds robotic mowers to their lists of compatible devices.

Belkin's previously-announced Qi2-enabled 3-in-1 charger is now shipping. Available in both black and white, it retails for $149.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Updating the software on a just-bought iPhone could become a thing of the past, with a new system rolling out to Apple Stores in April that will update the software on devices still in the packaging.


iPhone 15 Pro on a Box
When buying new products with computing capabilities, one of the first things to happen after opening the box and turning it on is to check for software updates. It now appears that Apple is preparing to introduce new hardware in its retail outlets to help prevent users from having to deal with the task.

The system, initially leaked in October, is said in Mark Gurman's "Power On" ...

Using its new powers under the Digital Markets Act, the European Union has announced sweeping probes into US Big Tech, including multiple investigations of Apple.


As of early March 2024, Apple has enabled the creation of third-party rivals to its own App Store, specifically and solely because it has been forced to under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). As part of that same DMA, the EU now has the authority and regulatory powers to investigate qualifying firms and, if it sees fit, apply steep fines for any perceived breaches of the law.

Now the EU has formally announced the start of several such investigations, covering Apple, Meta, and Google's parent company...

We noted recently that Apple was beginning to roll-out firmware updates to AirTags. That roll-out was supposed to be a gradual one, completing on April 9 – but that’s not what happened …

more…

The EU has today announced that it is not satisfied that Apple’s App Store changes comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the company is now officially under investigation for non-compliance.

If that investigation confirms that Apple failed to comply with the antitrust law, then the iPhone maker could be fined up to 10% of its worldwide turnover – increasing to 20% for repeat infringements …

more…

Apple has been granted a patent (number US 11935327 B1) for “On the Fly Enrollment for Facial Recognition.” It involves its Face ID technology,

About the patent

The patent relates to methods and systems for face detection and recognition in images captured by a camera on a device. More particularly, it involves the implementation of new neural networks used in face detection and recognition processes during use of the device.

As Apple notes in the patent, biometric authentication processes are being used more frequently to allow users to more readily access their devices without the need for passcode or password authentication. One example of a biometric authentication process is fingerprint authentication using a fingerprint sensor. 

Facial recognition is another biometric process that may be used for authentication of an authorized user of a device. Facial recognition processes are generally used to identify individuals in an image and/or compare...

Apple has been granted a patent (number US 11935327 B1) for “On the Fly Enrollment for Facial Recognition.” It involves its Face ID technology,

About the patent

The patent relates to methods and systems for face detection and recognition in images captured by a camera on a device. More particularly, it involves the implementation of new neural networks used in face detection and recognition processes during use of the device.

As Apple notes in the patent, biometric authentication processes are being used more frequently to allow users to more readily access their devices without the need for passcode or password authentication. One example of a biometric authentication process is fingerprint authentication using a fingerprint sensor. 

Facial recognition is another biometric process that may be used for authentication of an authorized user of a device. Facial recognition processes are generally used to identify individuals in an image and/or compare...

Apple TV+’s “Manhunt,” “Constellation,” “Argylle,” “Masters of the Air,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” all make the latest top 10 Reelgood Streaming Charts.

“Manhunt” is number 10 on the overall most-watched list. It’s number for on the most-watched TV shows with”Masters of the Air” at number seven and “Constellation” at number 10 on the list.

“Argylle’ is number seven and “Killers of the Flower Moon” is number nine on the list of the most-watched movies. Reelgood Streaming Charts which monitor 20 million viewing decisions each month across every streaming platform in the U.S.

Top 10 Most-Watched This Week (March 14-20)

1. ...

Apple TV+’s “Manhunt,” “Constellation,” “Argylle,” “Masters of the Air,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” all make the latest top 10 Reelgood Streaming Charts.

“Manhunt” is number 10 on the overall most-watched list. It’s number for on the most-watched TV shows with”Masters of the Air” at number seven and “Constellation” at number 10 on the list.

“Argylle’ is number seven and “Killers of the Flower Moon” is number nine on the list of the most-watched movies. Reelgood Streaming Charts which monitor 20 million viewing decisions each month across every streaming platform in the U.S.

Top 10 Most-Watched This Week (March 14-20)

1. ...

The European Commission — Europe’s anti-trust and consumer investigation agency — has announced that it’s has opened non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) into Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s “pay or consent model.”

The Commission says it “suspects that the measures put in place by these gatekeepers fall short of effective compliance of their obligations under the DMA.” In addition, the Commission has launched investigatory steps relating to Apple’s new fee structure for alternative app stores and Amazon’s ranking practices on its marketplace. Finally, the Commission has ordered gatekeepers to retain certain documents to monitor the effective implementation and compliance with their obligations.

From the announcement: The...

The European Commission — Europe’s anti-trust and consumer investigation agency — has announced that it’s has opened non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) into Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s “pay or consent model.”

The Commission says it “suspects that the measures put in place by these gatekeepers fall short of effective compliance of their obligations under the DMA.” In addition, the Commission has launched investigatory steps relating to Apple’s new fee structure for alternative app stores and Amazon’s ranking practices on its marketplace. Finally, the Commission has ordered gatekeepers to retain certain documents to monitor the effective implementation and compliance with their obligations.

From the announcement: The...

The European Commission — Europe’s anti-trust and consumer investigation agency — has announced that it’s has opened non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) into Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s “pay or consent model.”

The Commission says it “suspects that the measures put in place by these gatekeepers fall short of effective compliance of their obligations under the DMA.” In addition, the Commission has launched investigatory steps relating to Apple’s new fee structure for alternative app stores and Amazon’s ranking practices on its marketplace. Finally, the Commission has ordered gatekeepers to retain certain documents to monitor the effective implementation and compliance with their obligations.

From the announcement: The...

The European Commission — Europe’s anti-trust and consumer investigation agency — has announced that it’s has opened non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) into Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s “pay or consent model.”

The Commission says it “suspects that the measures put in place by these gatekeepers fall short of effective compliance of their obligations under the DMA.” In addition, the Commission has launched investigatory steps relating to Apple’s new fee structure for alternative app stores and Amazon’s ranking practices on its marketplace. Finally, the Commission has ordered gatekeepers to retain certain documents to monitor the effective implementation and compliance with their obligations.

From the announcement: The...

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Since I can’t cover everything, here are some recommended articles you should check out:

° From AppleInsider: With the earliest possible trial date start likely in late 2026, analysts are generally nonplussed by the Department of Justice omnibus antitrust suit and are telling investors to stick with Apple.

° From MacRumors: Apple’s first store in Canada with a dedicated pickup station is now open.

° From 9to5Mac: iFixit has praised Apple’s diagnostic tool for DIY repairs.

° From Cult of Mac: Steve Jobs’ business card bearing the signature of the Apple cofounder himself sold at auction for an amazing value: over $180,000....

Since I can’t cover everything, here are some recommended articles you should check out:

° From AppleInsider: With the earliest possible trial date start likely in late 2026, analysts are generally nonplussed by the Department of Justice omnibus antitrust suit and are telling investors to stick with Apple.

° From MacRumors: Apple’s first store in Canada with a dedicated pickup station is now open.

° From 9to5Mac: iFixit has praised Apple’s diagnostic tool for DIY repairs.

° From Cult of Mac: Steve Jobs’ business card bearing the signature of the Apple cofounder himself sold at auction for an amazing value: over $180,000....

Apple's compliance with new EU laws designed to rein in the market power of big tech companies is set to be investigated by regulators, the European Commission has announced.

The Commission said on Monday that non-compliance investigations have been opened against Apple, Google, and Meta, under the new Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The probe into Apple will look at whether the company allows developers to "steer" users away from its App Store, as well as its default web browser choice screen. Google's rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing in Google searches are also being looked at, as is Meta's "pay or consent model."

The Commission has opened proceedings to assess whether the measures...

The European Union has launched investigations into Apple, Meta and Google under its sweeping new digital-competition law, adding to the regulatory scrutiny large U.S. tech companies are facing worldwide. From a report: The suite of probes [Editor's note: the link may be paywalled; official press release here] announced Monday are the first under the EU's Digital Markets Act law, which took effect earlier this month. They come less than a week after the Justice Department sued Apple over allegations it makes it difficult for competitors to integrate with the iPhone, ultimately raising prices for customers. Apple and Google will now face EU scrutiny of how they are complying with rules that say they must allow app developers to inform customers about alternative offers outside those companies' main app stores. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said it is concerned about constraints the tech companies place on developers' ability to freely communicate with users and...

It’s not the most significant update Apple may ever release, but if you snagged an Apple Vision Pro headset for yourself, it could make a difference. Apple on Friday released its visionOS 1.1.1 update, which provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users. The highlight is probably the security updates, […]

Source

Apple Vision Pro is currently only available in the United States, but Apple has promised that it will come to other markets before the end of the year. During a visit to China this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook offered confirmation that China is one of the countries in which Vision Pro will launch this year.

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iOS 18 will feature a revamped Home Screen that is "more customizable," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He revealed this information in his Power On newsletter today, but he did not provide any specific details.

Apple will announce iOS 18 at its annual developers conference WWDC in June. Other features and changes rumored for the software update include new generative AI functionality for Siri and multiple apps, RCS support in the Messages app for improved messaging between...

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Vision Pro will hit the mainland China market later this year, reports Reuters.

He revealed the headset’s China launch plan in response to a media question on the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing, CCTV finance said on its Weibo social account. And Apple will continue to ramp up research and development investment in China, Cook was quoted as saying.

About the Vision Pro

Demos of the Apple Vision Pro at Apple Stores in the U.S. can be reserved on Apple.com. To reserve a free Vision Pro demo online, go here, then follow the steps to book an appointment at your local Apple Store. 

Pricing for the Vision Pro starts at US$3,499 with 256GB of storage. ZEISS Optical Inserts are available: $99...

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Vision Pro will hit the mainland China market later this year, reports Reuters.

He revealed the headset’s China launch plan in response to a media question on the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing, CCTV finance said on its Weibo social account. And Apple will continue to ramp up research and development investment in China, Cook was quoted as saying.

About the Vision Pro

Demos of the Apple Vision Pro at Apple Stores in the U.S. can be reserved on Apple.com. To reserve a free Vision Pro demo online, go here, then follow the steps to book an appointment at your local Apple Store. 

Pricing for the Vision Pro starts at US$3,499 with 256GB of storage. ZEISS Optical Inserts are available: $99...

Apple CEO Tim Cook, currently in China for talks with suppliers, told state media there that the Apple Vision Pro will come to mainland China later this year.


Cook was responding to a question from reporters at the China Development Forum in Beijing. He added that the company will further invest in research and development opportunities there.

Apple has previously said that the Apple Vision Pro is coming to other countries outside the US, but until now has provided no firm timetable. Further announcements could come as early as the...

In today’s edition of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman writes that users should expect updates to the iPhone home screen as part of iOS 18. Although light on details, he says iOS 18 will make the home screen “more customizable”.

Apple apparently believes iOS 18 will be its biggest update ever. AI will be a key focus, with artificial intelligence powered features integrated across the operating system. Apple may also integrate chatbot functionality via Google’s Gemini.

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Last week, Apple released iOS 17.4.1 with rather vague release notes claiming to include important bug fixes and security patches. Now, two days later, the company has not yet added any specifics. This is unusual for Apple, which typically lists important security patches hours after a release, and suggests that the ones in iOS 17.4.1 could be significant.

9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and...

"On December 28 2023, bugreport 12604 was filed in the curl issue tracker," writes cURL lead developer Daniel Stenberg:

The title stated of the problem in this case was quite clear: flag -cacert behavior isn't consistent between macOS and Linux , and it was filed by Yuedong Wu.

The friendly reporter showed how the curl version bundled with macOS behaves differently than curl binaries built entirely from open source. Even when running the same curl version on the same macOS machine.

The curl command line option --cacert provides a way for the user to say to curl that this is the exact set of CA certificates to trust when doing the following transfer. If the TLS server cannot provide a certificate that can be verified with that set of certificates, it should fail and return error. This particular behavior and functionality in curl has been established since many years (this option was added to curl in December 2000) and of course is provided to allow users to...

High altitude combined with bad weather caused a group of hikers to become stranded, but they were rescued within 24 hours thanks to SOS via Satellite for iPhone.


A family of hikers had hiked from the Salmon River Trailhead of Mt. Hood on Tuesday, ultimately climbing eight miles to an elevation of 3,500 feet. Due to changing weather and dropping temperatures, they used the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature to summon help.

According to a report from Clackamas County Sheriff's Office a call for help came in at 7:30pm. Due to worsening conditions, the family was advised to shelter in place as rescuers tried to reach them.

Ground crews using all-terrain vehicles were deployed, but couldn't reach them due to the changing conditions until 6am the following morning. Rescuers found the group "cold, wet, and dyhydrated, but...

A new lawsuit filed against gyroscope and accelerometer supplier for Apple, InvenSense, accuses the company of failing to tell investors about the concessions it made to secure a recent deal. InvenSense parts are used in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus; executives should have warned investors, the suit alleges, that Apple was given a "sweetheart deal" that would hurt profits. "Instead of revealing the true condition of the company and its prospects, defendants hid those facts from investors and chose to issue strong guidance and paint a picture of a bright future with a new mega-customer," the complai...

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A new port of AllCast, a popular Android app, has just been released for iOS. The title lets users stream personal photo, video, and music libraries to a variety of platforms, not just the Apple TV, the only format natively supported by Apple. Some compatible targets include Chrome, Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, WDTV, Xbox One/Xbox 360, and various platforms compatible with DLNA....

Taiwan-based supplier Quanta Computer has entered into "volume" production of Apple's upcoming 12-inch MacBook Air, according to supply chain sources. The laptop is reportedly on track to ship in the first quarter of the year, despite other rumors pointing to the second quarter. The new sources say that Quanta has escalated recruitment efforts in order to speed up production....

Facebook will start to post into its users News Feed alerts about missing children in the future, in an effort to locate them. A partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will involve the social network showing Amber Alerts to Facebook users located in specific search areas, both on mobile devices and desktops....

Apple appears to have ended its Single of the Week promotion on iTunes, visitors note. No tracks have been offered in the first two weeks of 2015, and a person on Apple's support forums claims to have been told by iTunes Support that the company has officially dropped the initiative. It's missing from iTunes Stores across the globe....

It's a fact that Spanish is the world's fourth most spoken language, with over 350 million native speakers across 21 countries. It's also a fact that people who are bilingual tend to do better in both academic pursuits as well as their career. If you've ever been curious about learning another language, Learn Spanish by Brainscape offers a solution for those who are trying to learn Spanish on the go....

Flickr has updated statistics for 2014 in its "Most Popular Camera" and "Most Popular Mobile Camera" categories, with the combined models of iPhone taking second place in the general "camera" category -- beating out DSLR maker Nikon and popular point-and-shoot maker Sony for second place. While Canon remains the most popular overall camera, the built-in cameras on smartphones from Apple and Samsung have -- despite inherent limitations -- steadily risen in popularity....

New information has been revealed on the specifications Apple has in mind for its planned licensing of the female Lightning port for third-party accessories. Manufacturers have reportedly been briefed on details and objectives, which include spreading Lightning to as many different accessories as possible in place of micro-USB. Possibilities include not just things like docks and headphones, but battery cases, gamepads, and Bluetooth speakers....

Word games are fairly numerous at this point. You've got your Boggle-style games, your Scrabble-style games, your crosswords and word searches. There are a lot of duplicates out there -- so when we find a fresh, new game, we tend to get pretty excited. One such app is Word of the Rings, by James Porter, a game that quite literally puts an interesting twist on the genre....

Marsh Supermarkets and inMarket have announced a new iBeacon platform, the first to emphasize the Apple Watch. The plan is to use iBeacons at Marsh's 75 locations to push ads, shopping lists, and other content to both Watches and iPhones. Initially, the platform will support the official Marsh app and inMarket's List Ease, but other apps should follow as long as they support inMarket's Proximity SDK. All apps will have to update with Watch support, but the platform itself is Watch-ready....

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People wanting to control HomeKit-enabled devices remotely through Apple's Siri must have an Apple TV at home to serve as a hub, according to Verge sources, including two launch partners and a person said to be "close to HomeKit's development." Siri controls will always work while an iPhone or iPad is on the same network as a HomeKit device, but until now it wasn't fully clear how remote operation might work. The Apple TV must also be a third-generation model running at least v7.0 firmware or newer. Notably, remote operation without Siri -- using the vendor app for a HomeKit product directly -...

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