Apple Announces New Cast Members for Second Season of “Foundation”
Image via Apple
Apple TV+ has given folks a first look at the second season of “Foundation.” In a press release, the company said:
…the monumental adaptation of “Foundation” chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.
Lots of new cast members announced - not a single name did I recognize. I’m not sure if that’s due to the troop’s international nature, the actors being young, or me being old. Whichever the case, production on the second-season is underway. If you’d like to learn more, head over to Apple’s site.
Apple TV+ Thriller Series “Now and Then” Set for 20 May Premier
Image via The Mac Observer
News of a new show this spring for Apple TV+. The Mac Observer says the Cupertino-streamer has started teasing the bilingual thriller series “Now and Then.” According to the report:
“Now and Then” looks at the differences between youthful aspirations and the reality of adulthood. A celebratory weekend changes the lives of a group of college best friends after one of them ends up dead. Twenty years on, a threat brings the remaining five back together.
So… like “The Afterparty,” but less funny.
Set in Miami, languages spoken include Spanish and English. No trailer yet, but there’s time. The first three-episodes hit Apple TV+ on Friday 20 May.
Apple Sues Apple-Man Filmmaker Over Use of Word “Apple”
Image via YouTube
You know how sometimes Apple does something so… awful… you kind of… hate it? Cult of Mac says the Cupertino-company is suing an independent filmmaker for having the audacity to put the word “Apple” in the title of his film. According to the piece, “the company filed a lawsuit against Ukrainian indie film director Vasyl Moskalenko, who wrote a comedy film titled Apple-Man.”
It’s not about computers or phones or anything like that. It’s about a guy who can levitate apples. The fruit. Borrowing more from Marvel than Cupertino, the Cult says the superhero satire features a guy who’s “DNA got blended with DNA from the fruit.”
Haha! Apple’s in his DNA! Of course, deeper in Apple’s DNA than almost anything is protecting the word “Apple.” Cult of Mac says:
Apple started legal proceedings against Moskalenko over concerns consumers could believe Apple-Man is “associated with, or approved, endorsed, or provided by Apple,” the company said in a 467-page court filing.
Moskalenko calls the lawsuit “trademark bullying,” especially since the film has nothing to do with Apple, Inc. He’s worried that what’s left of the $120,000 he raised on Kickstarter to complete the film will be eaten by legal fees instead. Cult of Mac says the filmmaker hopes to make peace with Apple. Moskalenko has also posted a video to Santa (below), asking for help. “Meanwhile,” the report says, “the company has made no statement about the case.”
1979 Steve Jobs Business Card Going Up for Auction
Image via YouTube
Another bit of hard-to-find Apple history is headed to the auction block. Apple Insider says RR Auction is selling a 1979 business card for Steve Jobs. The card lists the co-founder as Vice President Operations at Apple.
The card’s got that groovy, all lower-case font that begs me to go find my Star Wars toys. It’s also got an embossed Apple logo. According to the report:
YouTube personality Alfred DiBlasi is auctioning off a Steve Jobs business card from 1979 that he received from a friend in 1980. It has been preserved in plastic and kept in storage over the years, and DiBlasi recently discovered it in storage.
What’s really cool about it being sold by a YouTuber -he made a video (below). In it he jokes that the card is worth “billions.” He plans to use those billions to update his kitchen.
Billions is, of course, an overstatement, though there really is no telling how much the thing could go for. We’ll find out on St. Patrick’s day. Apple Insider says bidding will start in the middle of February. The auction’s set to close on 17 March.
Price Targets Shoot Skyward in Wake of Apple Earnings
Image via Apple Stocks App for AAPL 1/25 - 1/31/2022
So many price targets on Apple have gone higher since last Thursday. That is, of course, when Apple reported record revenue for the December-quarter and said it expects record revenue for the current quarter, too.
It was that one-two combination that got Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty to get out her step-stool… or whatever one uses to raise a target. Apple 3.0 ran part of a note she wrote. In fact, unless otherwise stated, these will all be from Apple 3.0. Huberty says she and hers were expecting revenue, gross margin, and EPS higher than consensus, and Apple beat even her expectations. “When coupled with a stronger than anticipated March quarter guide,” wrote the Hube, the “results illustrate the strength and stability of Apple’s product and services ecosystem…” A piece from Apple Insider had the analyst keeping the Cupertino-company’s shares as a Morgan Stanley top pick for 2022. Huberty has an “Overweight” rating on Apple shares. After last week’s earnings report, she raised her price target on the shares from $200 to $210.
Despite the current quarter’s “solid, but decelerating” revenue growth signaled by Apple, Raymond James analyst Chris Caso says the company is still expecting more than were he and other analysts. He expects iPhone to keep growing over the next year, and that will “pay dividends for services growth.” He’s also excited about whatever Apple has planned for VR, though he’s not sure that’ll happen in 2022. Caso has an “Outperform” rating on Apple shares. He upped his price target on the shares from $185 to $190.
Oppenheimer analyst Martin Yang is also turned on by Apple’s large and growing number of customers. “Notably,” read his note:
…Apple is still gaining new customers at impressive pace, with 6 out of 10 MacBook buyers in China, 1/2 iPad, and 2/3 Watch buyers new to devices. Those new users will likely purchase more devices in the Apple ecosystem and contribute sustainable growth to Apple’s active installed base.
He’s got an “Outperform” rating on Apple shares. He raised his price target on the shares from $170 to $190.
Cowen & Co. analyst Krish Sankar grooved and continues to groove on Apple’s ability to deliver despite supply constraints (iPad not included). A piece from Apple Insider has Sankar writing:
Shortages have yet to fully abate, still AAPL's solid supply chain execution is able to deliver near-term upside in hardware shipments… Coupled with better than expected Services growth and margins, we think AAPL effectively delivered a beat & raise relative to market sentiment.
Sankar has an “Outperform” rating on Apple shares. He raised Cowen’s price target on the shares from $180 to $200.
BofA analyst Wamsi Mohan thinks investors will keep buying Apple shares thanks to its predictable cash flow. Customers are also buying at the high-end of Apple’s product range. He’s got a “Buy” rating on Apple shares. He raised his price target on the shares from $210 to $215.
Goldman Sachs analyst Rod Hall stayed “Neutral” on Apple shares, though he raised his price target on them. It was $142. It’s now a still soggy $161. Same goes for Barclays analyst Tim Long. He stayed with an “Equal weight” rating and raised his target from $145 to a still soggy $169.
UBS analyst David Vogt kept his “Buy” rating and raised his price target from $175 to $185.
Monness Crespi’s Brian White kept his “Buy” rating and upped his target from $184 to $199.
D.A. Davidson’s Tom Forte kept his “Buy” rating and raised his target from $170 to $185.
R.W. Baird analyst William Power stuck with his “Outperform” rating and raised his target from $185 to $190.
Cannacord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley went on with his big, bad “Buy” rating on Apple shares. He upped his target from $185 to $200.
And Deutsche Bank analyst Sidney Ho kept his “Buy” rating on Apple shares. He upped his target from $200 to what looks to be a Street-high target of $220.
Grindr Apps Pulled from App Stores in China
The LGBTQ dating app Grindr is out of the App Store in China, and - believe it or not - it wasn’t Apple that gave it the boot. 9 to 5 Mac highlights a Bloomberg report that says:
Grindr’s removal comes as China kicks off fresh efforts to regulate internet content ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Cyberspace Administration of China last week announced a month-long campaign to crack down on online rumors, pornography and illegal content.
Some Grindr users in China reported connectivity issues over the past few weeks, including the inability to send and receive messages or add likes.
While many assumed that Apple had, once again, done the bidding of the Chinese government and removed the app from the App Store, secret sources tell 9 to 5 Mac that Apple had nothing to do with the app’s removal. Rather, the piece says, it was Grindr’s parent company that made the move. The app is also said to be out of Android app stores in China run by companies like Tencent and Huawei. So far no one involved seems to have commented on the app’s disappearing act in China.
Some See Apple Wallet Issues with Latest iOS and watchOS Releases
Image via Apple
There seems to be a problem with Apple Wallet for some Apple device users. iMore says some users running last week’s public releases of iOS 15.3 and watchOS 8.4 are falling out of sync. According to the report:
A number of people are experiencing sync issues for cards added to their iPhones — they aren't always appearing on their Apple Watch after updating to the latest versions of iOS and watchOS.
The issue isn’t big in terms of number of people affected, though for people affected, it’s a big enough thing to complain about. The piece points to one such complaint on Reddit, with that person saying:
iPhone 12 and Apple Watch Series 3. No coupons/membership cards added on the iPhone have successfully been synced to the Apple Watch since I updated to 8.4 and 15.3. Interestingly enough, removing a card from the iPhone does not seem to sync to the Watch either, but removing a card that exists on both devices on the Watch successfully syncs to the iPhone.
With so many variables, it’s hard to say which element is gumming up the works. Apple is said to be looking into the issue. So far, it has not offered a timeframe for a fix.
Apple Now Allows Unlisted Apps in App Store
Unlisted apps are on the way to the App Store, not that you’ll ever see them. Unlisted apps are exactly what they sound like - apps that should be undiscoverable in the App Store. But they’re there. iDownloadBlog explains, saying such apps are not for the general public, but will generally be distributed by administrators “through Apple’s Business Manager or School Manager.” Support for such is new, according to iDownloadBlog. It has Apple explaining to developers:
Your app may qualify for unlisted App Store distribution if it’s designed for a limited audience. Examples include apps for employees, apps for specific events, sales apps or research apps. Unlisted apps are distributed using a direct link to the app’s product page on the App Store, but they do not appear in App Store categories, search results or other App Store listings.
You may have caught the part where Apple said an app “may qualify” for unlisted status. “To publish an unlisted app on the App Store,” iDownloadBlog says, “developers must submit a request to Apple.” More info is available on Apple’s site.
BlackBerry Sells Legacy Mobile Patents to Non-Practicing Entity for $600M
I really wish I didn’t know about this: A piece from Apple Insider says, “BlackBerry has sold a collection of legacy patents covering mobile technologies for $600M…” Who’s the buyer? It’s Catapult IP Innovations, a non-practicing entity that was “formed to acquire the BlackBerry patent assets.”
Trolls. They’re likely patent trolls, willing to spend over half-a-billion dollars for intellectual property over which they can sue. “Since there's an expected return on investment,” says Apple Insider:
…it is likely that the patents will be used to encourage royalty payments from device producers, potentially through lawsuits.
The sale still has to pass regulatory approval, according to the report.
Apple TV+ Announces Kids Animated Series “Pretzel and the Puppies”
Image via Apple
Apple TV+ is continuing its push with the kids. The Cupertino-streamer issued a press release, Monday, announcing the animated series “Pretzel and the Puppies.” According to the release:
The eight episodes follow Pretzel, Greta and the puppies, in their hometown of Muttgomery. They are a modern and unique family who are always sniffing out ways to “make their bark,” and make the world a better place for their four-legged friends and neighbors. Pretzel and Greta encourage their pups to try to solve their own problems, often reminding them to “Get those PAWS UP!” when they face a challenge.
Okay, that makes it sound like they’re encouraging them to fight, which I seriously doubt.
The series features the voice work of “The Morning Show” actor Mark Duplass and “Saturday Night Live’s” Nasim Pedrad. Based on characters created by “Curious George” authors Margret and H.A. Rey, “Pretzel and the Puppies” hits Apple TV+ on Friday 11 February. You can catch a trailer for the show now on YouTube.
Apple Marks Heart Month with Multi-Channel Approach
Image via Apple
Heart Month Brings Yet Another Apple Watch Activity Challenge
If you like to keep up with the Apple Watch Activity Challenges, you’ve got a lot to keep up with this month. I told you last week about February’s Unity Challenge and the Lunar New Year Challenge.
The Lunar New Year challenge is pretty easy. Sometime between now and 15 February, you just need to do any workout for at least 20 minutes to earn the super slick, Year of the Tiger virtual medallion. The Unity Challenge is a bit more challenging. It requires participants to close their Move ring for seven consecutive days in the month of February. Do that and you’ll earn animated stickers for Messages and another of those sweet, sweet, imaginary medals.
Now, news of yet another Apple Watch Activity Challenge for February. That’s three for the shortest month of the year. Apple issued a press release Monday, announcing initiatives to promote heart health for Heart Month, which starts today. To get the obligatory stickers and medal minus the metal, users have to fill their Exercise ring with 30-minutes of activity, and it has to be on 14 February.
Dude. I got a date that night…
More Than Half an Hour for Heart Health
Much like the Cupertino-company’s Black History Month foci, Apple’s using more than one channel to mark Heart Month. In addition to the Activity Challenge, the release says:
“Fitness+ will feature a special section of 30-minute energizing workouts that will motivate users to get their weekly minutes of exercise.” Anyway, it’s supposed to.
Apple says it’s offering “extra savings in select countries” for people trading an older Apple Watch in for a newer one, if you wanna replace those rusty rings with shiny ones.
The App Store will feature apps with cardiovascular health in mind, “providing valuable insights into [a user’s] heart rate and activity levels.”
Apple Books will feature a “collection of titles that focus on heart health, including books on heart science, emotional well-being, and healthy eating.”
The Apple TV app “is featuring a collection of movies and shows on heart disease, heart science, and healthy living.” (Ditto Apple Podcasts)
The company also touched on initial findings from the heart study it’s been running in conjunction with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the American Heart Association. You can scope some of the early data in Apple’s press release.
Apple Marks Lunar New Year on Site in China
Image via apple.com/cn
Neat stuff on Apple’s site in China, Monday, to mark the Lunar New Year. 9 to 5 Mac wrote up some of the goings-on, including the bouncy, fun, cartoon year of the tiger tigers. When one scrolled around in the company’s China site, little cartoon tiger heads would appear, bounce around briefly, then slip off screen.
It was cute.
On the more immersive side, 9 to 5 says Apple posted a 23-minute “Shot on iPhone” film (below). Called, “The Comeback,” Apple’s description encourages viewers to “Kick off the Year of the Tiger with the story of a father, a son and a forgotten village with an out-of-this-world dream.” The piece says there’s a short behind-the-scenes video, posted to YouTube as well.
And finally, would it be a thing without a thing to buy? As mentioned last month, Apple has special “Year of the Tiger” AirPods available. Those come in a case with a stylized tiger emoji engraved on it. The special pair also includes 12 envelopes - each featuring one of the Chinese zodiac animal signs, depicted in emoji form. As for the AirPods themselves - they’re standard AirPods.
And Apple subsidiary Beats is also in the mix with a pair of commemorative Beats Studio Buds. As we also heard last month, the “Year of the Tiger” Beats Studio Buds feature a red case with a white Beats logo, per usual, and gold tiger stripes on the case and the earbuds themselves, which is distinctive. The units are available through the Beats by Dre website in China.
Massive Support for Epic as 9th Circuit Weighs Appeal Against Apple
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
What do the U.S. Department of Justice, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Microsoft, and over 30 sates in the Union have in common? They’re all against Apple in its fight with Fornite publisher Epic. Well… the DoJ isn’t against Apple. Nor is it for Epic, according to a post from Law360. Rather, a segment highlighted by Apple 3.0 says:
The DOJ filed an amicus brief [with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals] on Thursday — (…) — supporting neither side in the appeal but asking the appellant panel to correct what it said were serious issues with the trial court’s ruling that “could imperil effective antitrust enforcement, especially in the digital economy.”
So they’re not against Apple. They just think Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers got it wrong when she ruled that Apple’s App Store wasn’t a monopoly. At about the same time, a piece from Engadget says:
…Microsoft, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the attorneys general of 35 states have filed briefs supporting Epic's case with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The states argued the district court mistakenly claimed the first section of the Sherman Act (a cornerstone of US antitrust law) didn't apply to unilateral contracts like the terms Apple set for developers.
That was part of the DoJ’s argument as well, though the piece in Engadget goes further. It has the states and organizations arguing that Judge Gonzales Rogers “didn't properly weigh the damage of Apple's claimed anti-competitive behavior versus the benefits…” Not sure how she was supposed to weigh the damage of something she ruled didn’t exist, but what the heck do I know?
Microsoft had other complaints specific to Microsoft, it seems. Engadget indicated that issues alluded to include “Apple's effective ban on cloud gaming services,” which may hinder one of Mr. Softy’s Xbox services. Microsoft also argued that Apple's in-app payment requirement is anti-competitive.
And the EFF says the states are right - that Judge Gonzales Rogers should have weighed the harm being done to consumers. Also, consumers are kind of stupid.
I hate to be the one to break it to you.
According to Engadget:
The [EFF] also said the district court made errors when it presumed customers were fully aware of Apple's policies when they joined the company's platform.
What does all of this mean? Maybe nothing. The piece says “the appeals court isn't obliged to consider” the statements. Then again - big names, lots of states… may have some influence. Apple, meanwhile, is striking the pose of the unconcerned. In a statement to CNET, Apple said:
We're optimistic that the ruling will be affirmed on appeal… We remain committed to ensuring the App Store is a safe and trusted marketplace for consumers and a great opportunity for developers.
Signs of Life for Universal Control
Last week, Apple released a slew of stability and security focused updates with the outing of iOS and iPadOS 15.3, macOS 12.2, watchOS 8.4, and tvOS 15.3. Then, just about 24-hours later, Apple started the next parade of beta software, and it brings new to do. Top-of-the-list - controlling the universe.
9 to 5 Mac gave Apple grief last week for the still missing feature Universal Control, despite Apple saying late last year that it would not hit until the spring. Now it appears it will hit that timeframe, and maybe even hit sooner. You probably remember what that is, but just in case, Universal Control is the feature that’s supposed to let one mouse and keyboard work across a number of Macs and iPads in close proximity.
A piece from MacRumors says Apple has released the first beta of macOS Monterey 12.3 to both developers and public testers. A separate piece from MacRumors says the company has also released the first betas for iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 to both developers and public testers. This time around, the macOS beta plus the iPadOS beta equals Universal Control.
A Warning for Catalina Macs and the Latest macOS Betas
Image via Apple
Apple’s got a warning for a specific group of people who might try the latest macOS betas. A piece from MacRumors says the Cupertino-company is warning macOS Catalina users with FileVault enabled who might try installing the macOS 12.3 or macOS 11.6.4 betas on a separate APFS volume to… maybe not. Doing so “might cause a boot loop when attempting to log back into the previous volume,” according to Apple. According to the report:
On a Mac running macOS High Sierra or later, it is possible to install macOS on a separate APFS volume and then switch between versions of macOS, including betas, as if each were on a separate disk.
At first I couldn’t figure out who would do such a thing or why. I’m assuming the answer is developers trying to make sure their applications work across the latest version of the OS as well as previous versions. So, maybe not yet with this one - at least not without reading Apple’s support doc with - hopefully - more information around the issue.
iOS 15.4 Beta Brings Face ID with Mask
Image via Apple Insider
While the iPadOS 15.4 beta brings support for Universal Control, the iOS beta brings a neat new feature of its own. Apple Insider writes up the Face ID with Mask feature. Spelled like it sounds, the piece says the next version of iOS should let users unlock their iPhones while wearing a mask. According to the report:
A new onboarding screen in the iOS 15.4 beta prompts users to choose between two versions of Face ID. One is the standard Face ID, and the other is one that works while the user is wearing a mask.
While the new feature should be great for surfing and shopping while out and about, there is something of a security trade-off. According to Apple’s onboarding:
Face ID is most accurate when it's set up for full-face recognition only. To use Face ID while wearing a mask, iPhone can recognize the unique features around the eye area to authenticate.
Apple Insider says that makes Face ID with Mask a bit less secure, though Apple has not spelled out how much less secure that is.
In addition to being somewhat less secure, Face ID with Mask doesn’t go back super far. A piece from The Next Web says the feature will only work for iPhone 12 or later. That report has Apple saying that the feature requires “advancements in the TrueDepth camera system.” Those are advancements that apparently didn’t make it to the device until 2020.
Nearly 40 New Emoji in Latest Round of Betas
Image via Cult of Mac
Universal Control is neat. Face ID with Mask is useful. For fun, the next round of updates should bring close to 40 new emoji. Engadget says “Apple is finally starting to include the new emojis on iOS with the release of the 15.4 developer beta…” though I saw other pieces that indicate their inclusion in last week’s iPadOS and macOS betas. As detailed last summer, Engadget says:
…some of the new emojis available are “heart hands,” “troll,” “biting lip” and “melting face.” The latter could be a popular option for our troubled times, smiling as your face literally melts…
Lunar New Year Apple Watch Activity Challenge Hits the U.S.
Stoked to let you know - it looks like the Lunar New Year challenge is global. I told you last week of two Apple Watch Activity Challenges for the month of February - the Unity Challenge and the one for Lunar New Year. While I assumed the Unity Challenge would be global, it was unclear whether the Lunar New Year challenge would be. Personally, I figured it would be limited to the Asia Pacific region. Happy to say, it’s not. Just after midnight Sunday night/Monday morning, my watch tapped me to say:
Lunar New Year Challenge 2022
Balance this season of relaxation with a little exercise. Do any workout for at least 20 minutes between February 1 and 15 to get this award.
“…this award” being the really cool Year of the Tiger virtual medallion that I am so getting.
SNL’s Alex Moffat Signs on for “Bad Monkey”
Alex Moffat - Image via IMDB
Add another player to “Bad Monkey.” Deadline says Alex Moffat of “Saturday Night Live” is joining the series, headlined by Vince Vaughn and produced by Bill Lawrence. Lawrence used to be best known as a producer and creator on the long-running series “Scrubs,” until he became a producer and creator on “Ted Lasso.” No word on when “Bad Monkey” will premier.
Apple TV+ Grows the Cast of “Extrapolations”
All of a sudden, Apple TV+ is Murray Bartlett’s on-screen home. I told you last week that the “White Lotus” actor had signed on for the second season of the Rose Byrne/Apple series “Physical.” Now, a piece from Variety says Bartlett is part of a group of actors joining the limited series “Extrapolations.” In case you’ve forgotten, Variety says the eight-episode show:
…will tell eight interconnected stories that will track the worldwide battle for our mutual survival spanning the 21st century and how changes to our planet will affect love, faith, work and family.
In addition to Bartlett, new players include Yara Shahidi, Diane Lane, Heather Graham, Judd Hirsch, and many, many more. They join pre-announced cast members Meryl Streep, Tobey Maguire, Forest Whitaker, Edward Norton, Daveed Diggs, Cherry Jones, and many, many more.
The series is currently in production, according to Variety. No word on when “Extrapolations” is expected to stream.