IPhone – Page 2

Man learns he’s being dumped via “dystopian” AI summary of texts

AI, AI language model, Apple, apple intelligence, breakup, chatgpt, chatgtp, ios 18, iOS 18.1, IPhone, large language models, machine learning, Nick Spreen, Tech, text messages / Rejus Almole / October 10, 2024

The evolution of bad news via texting

Spreen’s message is the first time we’ve seen an AI-mediated relationship breakup, but it likely won’t be the last. As the Apple Intelligence feature rolls out widely and other tech companies embrace AI message summarization, many people will probably be receiving bad news through AI summaries soon. For example, since March, Google’s Android Auto AI has been able to deliver summaries to users while driving.

If that sounds horrible, consider our ever-evolving social tolerance for tech progress. Back in the 2000s when SMS texting was still novel, some etiquette experts considered breaking up a relationship through text messages to be inexcusably rude, and it was unusual enough to generate a Reuters news story. The sentiment apparently extended to Americans in general: According to The Washington Post, a 2007 survey commissioned by Samsung showed that only about 11 percent of Americans thought it was OK to break up that way.

What texting looked like back in the day.

By 2009, as texting became more commonplace, the stance on texting break-ups began to soften. That year, ABC News quoted Kristina Grish, author of “The Joy of Text: Mating, Dating, and Techno-Relating,” as saying, “When Britney Spears dumped Kevin Federline I thought doing it by text message was an abomination, that it was insensitive and without reason.” Grish was referring to a 2006 incident with the pop singer that made headline news. “But it has now come to the point where our cell phones and BlackBerries are an extension of ourselves and our personality. It’s not unusual that people are breaking up this way so much.”

Today, with text messaging basically being the default way most adults communicate remotely, breaking up through text is commonplace enough that Cosmopolitan endorsed the practice in a 2023 article. “I can tell you with complete confidence as an experienced professional in the field of romantic failure that of these options, I would take the breakup text any day,” wrote Kayle Kibbe.

Who knows, perhaps in the future, people will be able to ask their personal AI assistants to contact their girlfriend or boyfriend directly to deliver a personalized break-up for them with a sensitive message that attempts to ease the blow. But what’s next—break-ups on the moon?

This article was updated at 3: 33 PM on October 10, 2024 to clarify that the ex-girlfriend’s full real name has not been revealed by the screenshot image.

Man learns he’s being dumped via “dystopian” AI summary of texts Read More »

Apple kicked Musi out of the App Store based on YouTube lie, lawsuit says

App Store, Apple, apple developer agreement, intellectual property law, IPhone, iPhone app, musi app, music app, music streaming, Policy, youtube / Mike M. / October 8, 2024

“Will Must ever come back?”

Popular music app says YouTube never justified its App Store takedown request.

Musi, a free music-streaming app only available on iPhone, sued Apple last week, arguing that Apple breached Musi’s developer agreement by abruptly removing the app from its App Store for no good reason.

According to Musi, Apple decided to remove Musi from the App Store based on allegedly “unsubstantiated” claims from YouTube that Musi was infringing on YouTube’s intellectual property. The removal came, Musi alleged, based on a five-word complaint from YouTube that simply said Musi was “violating YouTube terms of service”—without ever explaining how. And YouTube also lied to Apple, Musi’s complaint said, by claiming that Musi neglected to respond to YouTube’s efforts to settle the dispute outside the App Store when Musi allegedly showed evidence that the opposite was true.

For years, Musi users have wondered if the service was legal, Wired reported in a May deep dive into the controversial app. Musi launched in 2016, providing a free, stripped-down service like Spotify by displaying YouTube and other publicly available content while running Musi’s own ads.

Musi’s curious ad model has led some users to question if artists were being paid for Musi streams. Reassuring 66 million users who downloaded the app before its removal from the App Store, Musi has long maintained that artists get paid for Musi streams and that the app is committed to complying with YouTube’s terms of service, Wired reported.

In its complaint, Musi fully admits that its app’s streams come from “publicly available content on YouTube’s website.” But rather than relying on YouTube’s Application Programming Interface (API) to make the content available to Musi users—which potentially could violate YouTube’s terms of service—Musi claims that it designed its own “augmentative interface.” That interface, Musi said, does not “store, process, or transmit YouTube videos” and instead “plays or displays content based on the user’s own interactions with YouTube and enhances the user experience via Musi’s proprietary technology.”

YouTube is apparently not buying Musi’s explanations that its service doesn’t violate YouTube’s terms. But Musi claimed that it has been “engaged in sporadic dialog” with YouTube “since at least 2015,” allegedly always responding to YouTube’s questions by either adjusting how the Musi app works or providing “details about how the Musi app works” and reiterating “why it is fully compliant with YouTube’s Terms of Service.”

How might Musi have violated YouTube’s TOS?

In 2021, Musi claimed to have engaged directly with YouTube’s outside counsel in hopes of settling this matter.

At that point, YouTube’s counsel allegedly “claimed that the Musi app violated YouTube’s Terms of Service” in three ways. First, Musi was accused of accessing and using YouTube’s non-public interfaces. Next, the Musi app was allegedly a commercial use of YouTube’s service, and third, relatedly, “the Musi app violated YouTube’s prohibition on the sale of advertising ‘on any page of any website or application that only contains Content from the Service or where Content from the Service is the primary basis for such sales.'”

Musi supposedly immediately “addressed these concerns” by reassuring YouTube that the Musi app never accesses its non-public interfaces and “merely allows users to access YouTube’s publicly available website through a functional interface and, thus, does not use YouTube in a commercial way.” Further, Musi told YouTube in 2021 that the app “does not sell advertising on any page that only contains content from YouTube or where such content is the primary basis for such sales.”

Apple suddenly becomes mediator

YouTube clearly was not persuaded by Musi’s reassurances but dropped its complaints until 2023. That’s when YouTube once again complained directly to Musi, only to allegedly stop responding to Musi entirely and instead raise its complaint through the App Store in August 2024.

That pivot put Apple in the middle of the dispute, and Musi alleged that Apple improperly sided with YouTube.

Once Apple got involved, Apple allegedly directed Musi to resolve the dispute with YouTube or else risk removal from the App Store. Musi claimed that it showed evidence of repeatedly reaching out to YouTube and receiving no response. Yet when YouTube told Apple that Musi was the one that went silent, Apple accepted YouTube’s claim and promptly removed Musi from the App Store.

“Apple’s decision to abruptly and arbitrarily remove the Musi app from the App Store without any indication whatsoever from the Complainant as to how Musi’s app infringed Complainant’s intellectual property or violated its Terms of Service,” Musi’s complaint alleged, “was unreasonable, lacked good cause, and violated Apple’s Development Agreement’s terms.”

Those terms state that removal is only on the table if Apple “reasonably believes” an app infringes on another’s intellectual property rights, and Musi argued Apple had no basis to “reasonably” believe YouTube’s claims.

Musi users heartbroken by App Store removal

This is perhaps the grandest stand that Musi has made yet to defend its app against claims that its service isn’t legal. According to Wired, one of Musi’s earliest investors backed out of the project, expressing fears that the app could be sued. But Musi has survived without legal challenge for years, even beating out some of Spotify’s top rivals while thriving in this seemingly gray territory that it’s now trying to make more black and white.

Musi says it’s suing to defend its reputation, which it says has been greatly harmed by the app’s removal.

Musi is hoping a jury will agree that Apple breached its developer agreement and the covenant of good faith and fair dealing by removing Musi from the App Store. The music-streaming app has asked for a permanent injunction immediately reinstating Musi in the App Store and stopping Apple from responding to third-party complaints by removing apps without any evidence of infringement.

An injunction is urgently needed, Musi claimed, since the app only exists in Apple’s App Store, and Musi and its users face “irreparable damage” if the app is not restored. Additionally, Musi is seeking damages to be determined at trial to make up for “lost profits and other consequential damages.”

“The Musi app did not and does not infringe any intellectual property rights held by Complainant, and a reasonable inquiry into the matter would have led Apple to conclude the same,” Musi’s complaint said.

On Reddit, Musi has continued to support users reporting issues with the app since its removal from the App Store. One longtime user lamented, “my heart is broken,” after buying a new iPhone and losing access to the app.

It’s unclear if YouTube intends to take Musi down forever with this tactic. In May, Wired noted that Musi isn’t the only music-streaming app taking advantage of publicly available content, predicting that if “Musi were to shut down, a bevy of replacements would likely sprout up.” Meanwhile, some users on Reddit reported that fake Musi apps keep popping up in its absence.

For Musi, getting back online is as much about retaining old users as it is about attracting new downloads. In its complaint, Musi said that “Apple’s decision has caused immediate and ongoing financial and reputational harm to Musi.” On Reddit, one Musi user asked what many fans are likely wondering: “Will Musi ever come back,” or is it time to “just move to a different app”?

Ars could not immediately reach Musi’s lawyers, Apple, or YouTube for comment.

Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience.

Apple kicked Musi out of the App Store based on YouTube lie, lawsuit says Read More »

Apple couldn’t tell fake iPhones from real ones, lost $2.5M to scammers

Apple, counterfeit iPhone, fake iPhone, IPhone, iPhone repairs, iPhone returns, iPhone scam, mail fraud, Policy / Paul Patrick / October 4, 2024

Two men involved in an elaborate scheme duping Apple into replacing about 6,000 counterfeit iPhones with genuine iPhones were sentenced to prison this week, the US Department of Justice announced Thursday.

Together with their co-conspirators, the 34-year-old scammers, Haotian Sun and Pengfei Xue, squeezed Apple for about $2.5 million, as employees for years failed to detect what the DOJ described as a rather “sophisticated” scheme between 2017 and 2019.

Now Sun has been sentenced to 57 months in prison and must pay more than $1 million to Apple in restitution. For his part, Xue was sentenced to 54 months and ordered to pay $397,800 in restitution, the DOJ said. Additionally, both men must also serve three years of supervised release and forfeit thousands more following the judgment.

The scheme depended on tricking Apple into accepting bogus phones during returns by spoofing serial numbers or International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers linked to real customers’ iPhones that were still under warranty. (Apple provides a one-year warranty for new iPhones discovered to have defects and sells insurance plans to extend the warranties.)

The scammers were caught and convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud after an Apple investigator tipped law enforcement off, a 2019 affidavit from postal inspector Stephen Cohen said.

Law enforcement intercepted packages and confirmed that thousands of counterfeit phones were being shipped from China, then submitted to Apple for repairs either by mail or in person. These counterfeit phones, Cohen said, were either out of warranty or contained counterfeit parts, but Apple “wrongly” believed that they were real phones under real warranties, often replacing dozens of fake phones fraudulently returned in a single shipment, Cohen said.

Apple couldn’t tell fake iPhones from real ones, lost $2.5M to scammers Read More »

Anker warns people to stop using some of its iPhone power banks, issues recall

anker, IPhone, recall, Tech / Rejus Almole / September 20, 2024

PSA —

“Manufacturing defect”: Anker is recalling all units “out of an abundance of caution.”

Scharon Harding – Sep 20, 2024 5: 52 pm UTC

Enlarge / An Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K) on an iPhone.

Anker

Anker is recalling three models of MagSafe iPhone batteries due to a fire risk, it said yesterday.

The models being recalled are the Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K, model number A1642), Anker Power Bank (model number A1647), and Anker 334 MagGo Battery (model number A1652). In its recall notice, Anker said that some of the lithium-ion batteries in the devices “may pose a fire risk due to a manufacturing defect.”

“The lithium-ion battery in the affected power banks can overheat, potentially causing melting of plastic components, smoke, and fire hazards,” the notice reads.

Anker claims that only products made from January 3 to September 17 are affected but says it’s recalling all units “out of an abundance of caution.”

Anker says that people who own one of these products should “immediately stop using” it. Owners should store the affected products “in a safe location” and use Anker’s website to verify their device’s serial number before filling out a recall form and getting a replacement.

Anker’s recall notice also included tips for safely disposing of power banks, reminding people not to toss them in the trash.

If you own an Anker battery pack and want to check if it’s being recalled, you can look at the bottom of the device for the aforementioned product names and model numbers (A1642, A1647, and A1652) as shown below:

Anker warns people to stop using some of its iPhone power banks, issues recall Read More »

Also releasing today: New iOS 17, macOS 14 updates for the upgrade-averse

Apple, iOS, ios 18, ipad, iPadOS, IPhone, Mac, macOS, macOS 15, macos sequoia, Tech / Kris Guyer / September 16, 2024

safe space —

Security updates without the headaches for the risk-averse (and bug-averse).

Andrew Cunningham – Sep 16, 2024 5: 23 pm UTC

Today is the official release date for the public versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15 Sequoia, and a scad of other Apple software updates, the foundation that Apple will use for Apple Intelligence and whatever other features it wants to add between now and next year’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. But for those who value stability and reliability over new features, you may not be excited to update to a new operating system with a version number ending in “0.”

For those of you who prefer to wait for a couple of bugfix updates before installing new stuff, Apple is also releasing security-only updates for a bunch of its (now) last-generation operating systems today. The iOS 17.7, iPadOS 17.7, and macOS 14.7 updates are either available now or should be shortly, along with a security update for 2022’s macOS 13 Ventura. An updated version of Safari 18 that runs on both macOS 13 and 14 should be available soon, though as of this writing is doesn’t appear to be available yet.

Apple has historically been pretty good about providing security updates to older macOS releases—you can expect them for about two years after the operating system is replaced by a newer version. But for iOS and iPadOS, the company used to stop updating older versions entirely after releasing a new one. This changed back in 2021, when Apple decided to start providing some security-only updates to older iOS versions to help people who were worried about installing an all-new potentially buggy OS upgrade.

Eventually, iOS and iPadOS users will need to install iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 to keep getting security updates. But for the handful of older iPads that can’t run iPadOS 18, Apple will usually keep supporting those specific devices with security updates for a year or two. Apple was still providing new security updates for 2022’s iOS 16 as recently as August, keeping older devices like the iPhone 8 and the first-generation iPad Pros reasonably secure even though they were incapable of running newer operating systems.

Also releasing today: New iOS 17, macOS 14 updates for the upgrade-averse Read More »

What to expect from Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event

airpods, AirPods Max, Apple, apple watch, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series X, apple watch ultra, iOS, ios 18, iPad mini, IPhone, iPhone 16, iphone 16 pro, Tech / Rejus Almole / September 5, 2024

Enlarge / Apple’s event will likely discuss Apple Intelligence, though that’s not going to launch until later in the year with iOS 18.1

Apple

For years, Apple’s September event has focused almost exclusively on new flagship iPhones and new Apple Watch models. Once in a while, other second-tier products make an appearance. And in recent cycles, the Mac and high-end iPads had their shining moment later in the year—often in October or November.

We expect the same to happen this time. You can almost certainly count on new iPhones and Watches. As for what else to expect: well, no Macs, but there are a couple of interesting possibilities.

Here’s what we expect to see next week.

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro

Gone are the days of radical changes to the iPhone; the last dramatic redesign was the iPhone X in 2017. Since then, Apple has iterated a little bit each year—never enough to drive yearly upgrades, but perhaps enough to entice consumers with phones that are three years old or so.

The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are expected to continue this pacing, with a grab bag of improvements to existing features but nothing too radical.

The only notable design change that has been rumored is the introduction of the “Capture” button on all models; this will allow taking pictures without using the touchscreen on all models. This could be done with the Action button on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro, and that Action button is expected to come to all iPhone 16 models (not just Pro) this year.

But adding a Capture button frees the Action button up for other things, and the Capture button is expected to produce different results depending on how you press it, making it more useful.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus rear camera arrangement will switch to two vertically aligned lenses instead of the diagonal arrangement of the previous model. Apart from that and the new buttons, there will be no noticeable design changes in the non-Pro phones this year.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will also not have noticeable design changes, but they will have slightly larger screens. The Pro is going from a 6.1-inch screen to 6.3 inches, while the larger Max version will go from 6.7 to 6.9 inches. The phones will be slightly larger, but much of the screen-size gain will come from Border Reduction Structure (BRS) implementation that will reduce the already barely there bezels a little bit.

Speaking of the screens, the Pro models will feature new panels that will provide just a bit more maximum brightness, following a trend of improvements in that area that has spanned the last few iPhones.

The general look of the new iPhones isn’t expected to change compared to these designs from last year, except for the camera arrangement on the base iPhone 16.

Samuel Axon
The Action Button, seen here on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, will reach the non-Pro iPhones this year.

Samuel Axon

That’s it for changes visible on the outside. Inside, the phones are expected to get an improved thermal design—which hopefully addresses our biggest complaint when we reviewed the iPhone 15 Pro—as well as faster 5G modems in the Pros and a new A-series chip that will probably offer modest gains in performance and efficiency over the top-tier chip from last year.

All the remaining changes that are rumored from leaks, supply-chain insights, or news reports are tweaks to the camera systems. All models will get better ultra-wide cameras that handle low light better, and the iPhone 16 Pro will go to a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera to better match the wide-angle lens’ overall performance. Additionally, the 5x zoom telephoto lens that was reserved only for the Pro Max last year will make its way to the smaller Pro this time.

That’s all we’ve heard so far. Looking back on paragraphs of text here, it sounds like a lot, but most of these things are pretty modest improvements. Those coming from an iPhone 13 Pro or earlier may be tempted by all this, but it’ll be pretty silly to upgrade from an iPhone 15 to an iPhone 16 unless Apple has managed to keep some earth-shattering new feature a secret.

What to expect from Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event Read More »

Next-gen iPhones and other Apple announcements are coming on September 9

Apple, Apple event, IPhone, iPhone 16, iphone 16 pro, Tech / Paul Patrick / August 26, 2024

get ready —

Expect iterative iPhone updates with a dash of Apple Intelligence.

Andrew Cunningham – Aug 26, 2024 5: 46 pm UTC

Apple’s next product announcement event is happening on September 9 at 1 pm ET, the company announced today. While most of Apple’s products are updated irregularly, Apple has reliably launched next-generation iPhones every September since the iPhone 5 was announced in 2012. This year, we expect new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models.

The most reliable rumors about Apple’s next-gen iPhones (gathered here by MacRumors for your convenience) point to mostly iterative improvements to the current versions: marginally larger screens for the Pro phones, an Action Button and a rearranged camera bump for the non-Pro phones, and improved processors for each. Notably, both phones should be compatible with the first wave of Apple Intelligence AI features; as of this writing, the iPhone 15 Pro is the only iPhone that will support Apple Intelligence when it launches.

Apple also usually announces new Apple Watches at its September events. Updated Apple TV boxes are also occasionally unveiled, though Apple’s streaming box is updated more sporadically than most of its other products. We’re also due to get the first wave of M4 Macs at some point soon, including refreshed MacBook Pros and a newly redesigned Mac mini. But Apple often holds Mac launches for a separate event sometime in October or November, so don’t be surprised if the Mac goes unmentioned on September 9.

Whatever else Apple announces, the company is relatively unlikely to mention the iPad. Apple overhauled its entire iPad lineup in May, releasing new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, dropping the price of the 10th-generation iPad to $349 and totally discontinuing the aging 9th-gen iPad (also the last iPad to include a Lightning port, Home button, or headphone jack).

We’d also expect to get a release date for the public releases of all the new software versions Apple announces at WWDC in June: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15 Sequoia, and new releases of watchOS, tvOS, and the HomePod operating system. But we already know that some of the Apple Intelligence features won’t launch until the iOS/iPadOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 updates later in the year.

Next-gen iPhones and other Apple announcements are coming on September 9 Read More »

Epic Games Store and Fortnite arrive on EU iPhones

Apple, dma, epic games, epic games store, EU, fortnite, gaming, iOS, IPhone, Tech / Mike M. / August 16, 2024

It’s still a mess —

Epic also launched its store on Android.

Samuel Axon – Aug 16, 2024 6: 48 pm UTC

Artist's conception of Epic dodging harm from Apple's decisions (and perhaps its own). — Enlarge / Artist’s conception of Epic dodging harm from Apple’s decisions (and perhaps its own).

It’s been four years since Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular games, was pulled from the Apple App Store in a blaze of controversy and finger-pointing. Today, it’s returning to the iPhone—but only in the European Union.

Today marks the launch of the Epic Games Store on Android and iOS—iOS just in Europe, Android worldwide. Right now, it just has three games: Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys. And you’ll have to be in Europe to access it on your iPhone.

The Epic Games Store is run by Epic Games, the same company that develops and publishes Fortnite. Most folks who have been paying attention to either Epic or Apple in recent years knows the story at this point, but here’s the quick summary and analysis.

Opinion: Users are still the losers after four years

At the direction of CEO Tim Sweeney, Epic knowingly made changes to Fortnite related to digital payments that violated Apple’s terms for developers on the platform. Apple removed Fortnite accordingly, and a long, ugly PR and legal battle ensued between the two companies in multiple countries and regions.

In the US, a judge’s decision granted some small wins to Epic and other developers seeking to loosen Apple’s grip on the platform, but it kept the status quo for the most part.

Things went a little differently in Europe. EU legislators and regulators enacted the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which had far-reaching implications for how Apple and Google run their app stores. Among other things, the new law required Apple to allow third-party, alternative app stores (basically, sideloading) on the iPhone.

Apple’s compliance was far from enthusiastic (the company cited security and privacy concerns for users, which is valid, but the elephant in the room is, of course, its confident grip on app revenues on its platforms), and it was criticized for trying to put up barriers. Additionally, Apple rejected Epic’s attempts to launch its app store multiple times for a few arcane reasons amid a flurry of almost comically over-the-top tweets from Sweeney criticizing the company.

Despite Apple’s foot-dragging, Epic has finally reached the point where it could launch its app store. Epic had already launched a relatively successful App Store on PC, where Valve’s Steam holds a strong grip on users. The new iPhone app store doesn’t offer nearly as many options or perks as the PC version, but Epic says it’s working on wrangling developers onto its store.

It also says it will release its games on other alternative app stores on iOS and Android, such as AltStore PAL.

It’s been a long, winding, angry path to get to this point. In the battle between Epic and Apple, there remains some debate about who really has won up to this point. But there isn’t much dispute that, whether you want to blame Apple or Epic or both, users sure haven’t been the winners.

Epic Games Store and Fortnite arrive on EU iPhones Read More »

Apple settles EU probe by opening up its mobile payments system

Apple, Apple Pay, Digital Markets Act, European Commission, European Union, Face ID, IPhone, mobile payments, mobile wallet, near field communication, NFC, NFC payment, Online Security, payments technology, Policy, touch and go / Mike M. / July 11, 2024

A small price to pay? —

iPhone users will get more choices to make “touch-and-go” payments in the EU.

Ashley Belanger – Jul 11, 2024 3: 47 pm UTC

In two weeks, iPhone users in the European Union will be able to use any mobile wallet they like to complete “tap and go” payments with the ease of using Apple Pay.

The change comes as part of a settlement with the European Commission (EC), which investigated Apple for potentially shutting out rivals by denying access to the “Near Field Communication” (NFC) technology on its devices that enables the “tap and go” feature. Apple did not develop this technology, which is free for developers, the EC said, and going forward, Apple agreed to not charge developers fees to provide the NFC functionality on its devices.

In a press release, the EC’s executive vice president, Margrethe Vestager, said that Apple’s commitments in the settlement address the commission’s “preliminary concerns that Apple may have illegally restricted competition for mobile wallets on iPhones.”

“From now on, Apple can no longer use its control over the iPhone ecosystem to keep other mobile wallets out of the market,” Vestager said. “Competing wallet developers, as well as consumers, will benefit from these changes, opening up innovation and choice, while keeping payments secure.”

Apple has until July 25 to follow through on three commitments that resolve the EC’s concerns that Apple may have “prevented developers from bringing new and competing mobile wallets to iPhone users.”

Arguably, providing outside developers access to NFC functionality on its devices is the biggest change. Rather than allowing developers to access this functionality through Apple’s hardware, Apple has borrowed a solution prevalent in the Android ecosystem, Vestager said, granting access through a software solution called “Host Card Emulation mode.”

This, Vestager said, provides “an equivalent solution in terms of security and user experience” and paves the way for other wallets to be more easily used on Apple devices.

An Apple spokesperson told CNBC that “Apple is providing developers in the European Economic Area with an option to enable NFC contactless payments and contactless transactions for car keys, closed loop transit, corporate badges, home keys, hotel keys, merchant loyalty/rewards, and event tickets from within their iOS apps using Host Card Emulation based APIs.”

To ensure that Apple Pay is on an equal playing field with other wallets, the EC said that Apple committed to improve contactless payments functionality for rival wallets. That means that “iPhone users will be able to double-click the side button of their iPhones to launch” their preferred wallet and “use Face ID, Touch ID and passcode to verify” their identities when using competing wallets.

Perhaps most critically for users attracted to Apple’s payment options convenience, Apple also agreed to allow rival wallets to be set as the default payment option.

These commitments will remain in force for 10 years, Vestager said.

Apple did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment. Apple’s spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that no changes would be made to Apple Pay or Apple Wallet as a result of the settlement.

Apple’s commitments go beyond the DMA

Before accepting Apple’s commitments, the EC spoke to “many banks, app developers, card issuers, and financial associations,” Vestager said, whose feedback helped improve Apple’s commitments.

According to Vestager, Apple’s changes go beyond the requirements of the EU’s strict antitrust law, the Digital Markets Act, which “requires gatekeepers to ensure effective interoperability with hardware and software features that they use within their ecosystems,” including “access to NFC technology for mobile payments.”

Beyond the DMA, Apple agreed to have its compliance with the settlement “ensured by a monitoring trustee,” as well as to provide “a fast dispute resolution mechanism, which will also allow for an independent review of Apple’s implementation.”

Vestager assured all stakeholders in the European Economic Area that these changes will prevent any potential harms caused by Apple seeming to shut other wallets out of its devices, which “may have had a negative impact on innovation.” By settling the yearslong probe, Apple avoided a potentially large fine. In March, the EC fined Apple nearly $2 billion for restricting “alternative and cheaper music subscription services” like Spotify in its app store, and the suspected anticompetitive behavior in Apple’s payments ecosystem seemed just as harmful, the EC found.

“This reduction in choice and innovation is harmful,” Vestager said, confirming that the settlement concluded the EC’s probe into Apple Pay. “It is harmful to consumers and it is illegal under EU competition rules.”

Apple settles EU probe by opening up its mobile payments system Read More »

Apple’s “Longevity, by Design” argues its huge scale affects its repair polices

Apple, iFixit, IPhone, iPhone 14, longevity by design, parts pairing, repair, right to repair, Self Service Repair, Tech / Rejus Almole / June 27, 2024

Apple Longevity by Design whitepaper —

Apple must consider volume, but also the world outside its closed loop.

Kevin Purdy – Jun 27, 2024 4: 25 pm UTC

Images of two charred batteries from Apple's Longevity by Design document — Enlarge / Apple has a lot to say about the third-party battery market in “Longevity, by Design,” specifically about how many batteries fail to meet testing standards.

Apple

Earlier this week, Apple published a whitepaper titled “Longevity by Design.” The purpose, Apple says, is to explain “the company’s principles for designing for longevity—a careful balance between product durability and repairability.” It also contains some notable changes to Apple’s parts pairing and repair technology.

Here is a summary of the action items in the document’s 24 pages:

The self-service diagnostics tool that arrived in the US last year is now available in 32 European countries.
True Tone, the color-balancing screen feature, can soon be activated on third-party screens, “to the best performance that can be provided.”
Battery statistics, like maximum capacity and cycle count, will be available “later in 2024” for third-party batteries, with a notice that “Apple cannot verify the information presented.”
Used Apple parts, transferred from one to another, will be “as easy to use as new Apple parts” in select products “later this year.”
Parts for “most repairs” from Apple’s Self Service Repair program will no longer require a device serial number to order.

Changes timed to “later this year” may well indicate their arrival with iOS 18 or a subsequent update.

Apple’s take on repair focuses on scale

To whom is Apple’s document explaining its principles? Apple might say it’s speaking to consumers and the public, but one might infer that the most coveted audience is elected representatives, or their staff, as they consider yet another state or federal bill aimed at regulating repair. Earlier this year, Oregon and Colorado passed repair bills that stop companies from halting repairs with software checks on parts, or “parts pairing.” Other recent bills and legal actions have targeted repair restrictions in Minnesota, Canada, and the European Union.

Apple came out in support of a repair bill in California and at the federal level, in large part because it allows for parts and tools pricing at “fair and reasonable terms” and requires non-affiliated vendors to disclose their independence and use of third-party parts to customers.

“Longevity, by Design” stakes out Apple’s position that there are things more important than repair. Due to what Apple says is its unique combination of software support, resale value, and a focus on preventing the most common device failures, the company “leads the industry in longevity” as measured in products’ value holding, lifespans, and service rates, Apple says. Hundreds of millions of iPhones more than five years old are in use, out-of-warranty service rates dropped 38 percent from 2015 to 2022, and initiatives like liquid ingress protection dropped repair rates on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus by 75 percent.

“The reliability of our hardware will always be our top concern when seeking to maximize the lifespan of products,” the whitepaper states. “The reason is simple: the best repair is the one that’s never needed.”

Photos from Apple's — Photos from Apple’s “Longevity, by Design” document showing the water ingress testing as part of its design.

Apple

Consider the charge port

Apple offers the charging port on iPhones as “an internal case study” to justify why it often bundles parts together rather than making them individually replaceable. From the independent repair shops and techs I’ve talked to in my career, iPhone charging ports, and the chips that control them, are not an uncommon failure point. “Cheap charging cables from 7-11 are serial killers,” one board-level repair shop once told me. Apple disagrees, saying it must consider the broader impact of its designs.

“Making the charging port individually replaceable would require additional components, including its own flexible printed circuit board, connector, and fasteners that increase the carbon emissions required to manufacture each device,” Apple states. This could be justified if 10 percent of iPhones required replacement, but Apple says “the actual service rate was below 0.1%.” As such, keeping the port integrated is a lower-carbon-emission choice.

Apple’s “Longevity, by Design” argues its huge scale affects its repair polices Read More »

After a few years of embracing thickness, Apple reportedly plans thinner devices

Apple, apple watch, IPhone, MacBook Pro, Tech / Mike M. / June 17, 2024

return to form —

Thinness is good, as long as it doesn’t come at the expense of other things.

Andrew Cunningham – Jun 17, 2024 3: 30 pm UTC

Apple bragged about the thinness of the M4 iPad Pro; it's apparently a template for the company's designs going forward. — Enlarge / Apple bragged about the thinness of the M4 iPad Pro; it’s apparently a template for the company’s designs going forward.

Apple

Though Apple has a reputation for prioritizing thinness in its hardware designs, the company has actually spent the last few years learning to embrace a little extra size and/or weight in its hardware. The Apple Silicon MacBook Pro designs are both thicker and heavier than the Intel-era MacBook Pros they replaced. The MacBook Air gave up its distinctive taper. Even the iPhone 15 Pro was a shade thicker than its predecessor.

But Apple is apparently planning to return to emphasizing thinness in its devices, according to reporting from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (in a piece that is otherwise mostly about Apple’s phased rollout of the AI-powered features it announced at its Worldwide Developers Conference last week).

Gurman’s sources say that Apple is planning “a significantly skinnier iPhone in time for the iPhone 17 line in 2025,” which presumably means that we can expect the iPhone 16 to continue in the same vein as current iPhone 15 models. The Apple Watch and MacBook Pro are also apparently on the list of devices Apple is trying to make thinner.

Apple previewed this strategy with the introduction of the M4 iPad Pro a couple of months ago, which looked a lot like the previous-generation iPad Pro design but was a few hundredths of an inch thinner and (especially for the 13-inch model) noticeably lighter than before. Gurman says the new iPad Pro is “the beginning of a new class of Apple devices that should be the thinnest and lightest products in their categories across the whole tech industry.”

Thin-first design isn’t an inherently good or bad thing, but the issue in Apple’s case is that it has occasionally come at the expense of other more desirable features. A thinner device has less room for cooling hardware like fans and heatsinks, less room for batteries, and less room to fit ports.

The late-2010s-era MacBook Pro and Air redesigns were probably the nadir of this thin-first design, switching to all-Thunderbolt ports and a stiff-feeling butterfly switch keyboard design that also ended up being so breakage-prone that it spawned a long-running Apple repair program and a class-action lawsuit that the company settled. The 2020 and 2021 MacBooks reversed course on both decisions, reverting to a more traditional scissor-switch keyboard and restoring larger ports like MagSafe and HDMI.

Hopefully, Apple has learned the lessons of the last decade or so and is planning not to give up features people like just so it can craft thinner hardware. The new iPad Pros are a reason for optimism—they don’t really give up anything relative to older iPad models while still improving performance and screen quality. But iPad hardware is inherently more minimalist than the Mac and is less space-constrained than an iPhone or an Apple Watch. Here’s hoping Apple has figured out how to make a thinner, lighter Mac without giving up ports or keyboard quality or a thinner, lighter iPhone or Apple Watch without hurting battery life.

After a few years of embracing thickness, Apple reportedly plans thinner devices Read More »

Report: Apple isn’t paying OpenAI for ChatGPT integration into OSes

AI, AI assitants, Apple, apple intelligence, Biz & IT, chatgpt, chatgtp, GPT-4, iOS, ios 18, iPadOS, iPadOS 18, IPhone, large language models, machine learning, macOS, macos sequoia, openai, sam altman / Paul Patrick / June 13, 2024

in the pocket —

Apple thinks pushing OpenAI’s brand to hundreds of millions is worth more than money.

Benj Edwards – Jun 13, 2024 5: 20 pm UTC

The OpenAI and Apple logos together. — OpenAI / Apple / Benj Edwards

On Monday, Apple announced it would be integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI assistant into upcoming versions of its iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating systems. It paves the way for future third-party AI model integrations, but given Google’s multi-billion-dollar deal with Apple for preferential web search, the OpenAI announcement inspired speculation about who is paying whom. According to a Bloomberg report published Wednesday, Apple considers ChatGPT’s placement on its devices as compensation enough.

“Apple isn’t paying OpenAI as part of the partnership,” writes Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, citing people familiar with the matter who wish to remain anonymous. “Instead, Apple believes pushing OpenAI’s brand and technology to hundreds of millions of its devices is of equal or greater value than monetary payments.”

The Bloomberg report states that neither company expects the agreement to generate meaningful revenue in the short term, and in fact, the partnership could burn extra money for OpenAI, because it pays Microsoft to host ChatGPT’s capabilities on its Azure cloud. However, OpenAI could benefit by converting free users to paid subscriptions, and Apple potentially benefits by providing easy, built-in access to ChatGPT during a time when its own in-house LLMs are still catching up.

And there’s another angle at play. Currently, OpenAI offers subscriptions (ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team) that unlock additional features. If users subscribe to OpenAI through the ChatGPT app on an Apple device, the process will reportedly use Apple’s payment platform, which may give Apple a significant cut of the revenue. According to the report, Apple hopes to negotiate additional revenue-sharing deals with AI vendors in the future.

Why OpenAI

The rise of ChatGPT in the public eye over the past 18 months has made OpenAI a power player in the tech industry, allowing it to strike deals with publishers for AI training content—and ensure continued support from Microsoft in the form of investments that trade vital funding and compute for access to OpenAI’s large language model (LLM) technology like GPT-4.

Still, Apple’s choice of ChatGPT as Apple’s first external AI integration has led to widespread misunderstanding, especially since Apple buried the lede about its own in-house LLM technology that powers its new “Apple Intelligence” platform.

On Apple’s part, CEO Tim Cook told The Washington Post that it chose OpenAI as its first third-party AI partner because he thinks the company controls the leading LLM technology at the moment: “I think they’re a pioneer in the area, and today they have the best model,” he said. “We’re integrating with other people as well. But they’re first, and I think today it’s because they’re best.”

Apple’s choice also brings risk. OpenAI’s record isn’t spotless, racking up a string of public controversies over the past month that include an accusation from actress Scarlett Johansson that the company intentionally imitated her voice, resignations from a key scientist and safety personnel, the revelation of a restrictive NDA for ex-employees that prevented public criticism, and accusations against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman of “psychological abuse” related by a former member of the OpenAI board.

Meanwhile, critics of privacy issues related to gathering data for training AI models—including OpenAI foe Elon Musk, who took to X on Monday to spread misconceptions about how the ChatGPT integration might work—also worried that the Apple-OpenAI deal might expose personal data to the AI company, although both companies strongly deny that will be the case.

Looking ahead, Apple’s deal with OpenAI is not exclusive, and the company is already in talks to offer Google’s Gemini chatbot as an additional option later this year. Apple has also reportedly held talks with Anthropic (maker of Claude 3) as a potential chatbot partner, signaling its intention to provide users with a range of AI services, much like how the company offers various search engine options in Safari.

Report: Apple isn’t paying OpenAI for ChatGPT integration into OSes Read More »