Bloomberg: Apple Considering Hardware Subscriptions
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman hit with a rumor on Thursday that is so incredibly easy to believe. What’s hard to believe is that it’s actually a story. Quoting the first paragraph:
Apple Inc. is working on a subscription service for the iPhone and other hardware products, a move that could make device ownership similar to paying a monthly app fee, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
So many analysts have wanted Apple to do this, and certainly Apple’s upgrade programs that let people “split up the cost of devices,” almost read like a subscription. I think Tim Cook even likened one to the other on a call with analysts last year. Personally, I figured Apple would aim something like this first at business when it announced Business Essentials last year. And it may. Or it may never do anything like this, and that’s the part that makes it hard to believe is that this is actually a story. Secret peeps tell Gurman that the subscription service is “expected to launch at the end of 2022, but could be delayed into 2023 or end up getting canceled…”
I guess it’s a story because somebody actually said Apple’s considering it, rather than everyone assuming Apple’s thinking about it.
To get reaction, CNBC went to an analyst who has been amazingly consistent in trailing Apple shares. The financial network’s “Closing Bell” got reaction from Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi. He seemed stoked, provided the program includes a bunch of other stuff. He’s looking for a hardware/software bundle, which - again - is something a lot of analysts have wanted. It is also not a thing addressed in the Bloomberg piece. You can catch Sacconaghi’s appearance below if you want to. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.
EU Announces “Provisional” Agreement on Digital Markets Act
25 March 2022 - Look for news out of Europe today targeting big tech. Engadget has the European Union saying it has reached a provisional agreement on the Digital Markets Act, described by the piece as “a sweeping antitrust law meant to rein in Apple, Google, Meta and other tech giants.” As to how it’ll do that, we don’t know exactly at this time. Past versions of the legislation have included such provisions as:
Requiring big tech to tell competition regulators of any acquisition plans
Not give their own services place of prominence when displaying them and competing services
“Not use data gathered via their main service to launch a product that will compete with other established businesses”
Letting users pull pre-installed apps and use other software in its place
App Stores run by Google and Apple would have to allow third-party billing options
Apple would have to allow apps to be installed on iOS and iPadOS devices from sources other than Apple’s own App Store
There’s also a provision I hadn’t heard about tied to messaging apps. According to Engadget:
…one of the primary provisions of the DMA is that messaging providers would need to make their services interoperable with other services, “EU lawmakers agreed that the largest messaging services (such as Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger or iMessage) will have to open up and interoperate with smaller messaging platforms, if they so request…”
“Not cool” say Apple and WhatsApp. The piece has an Apple spokesperson saying:
We remain concerned that some provisions of the DMA will create unnecessary privacy and security vulnerabilities for our users while others will prohibit us from charging for intellectual property in which we invest a great deal…
Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, hit Twitter saying:
Haven't seen the details of this yet, but I hope they are extremely thoughtful. Interoperability can have benefits, but if it's not done carefully this could cause a tragic weakening of security and privacy in Europe.
The EU mentioned messaging apps specifically in its “provisional” agreement announcement, so it seems obvious that that’s on the table. Everything else is up in the air. Engadget says it’s not known which provisions made it into the latest agreement. More details are expected today.
Apple Agrees to iCloud Class Action Settlement
25 MARCH 2022 - If you paid for extra iCloud storage between mid-September 2015 and the end of January 2016, you’re about to get a little do-re-mi. I’m guessing very little. As part of a class action settlement, Macworld says Apple has agreed to pay $14.8 million “for breach of contract regarding the iCloud Service that Apple provides to its users.”
The problem’s not that you didn’t get the storage. The problem is you didn’t get it from whom you thought you did. Macworld says the “crux of the case is that Apple breached the iCloud Terms and Conditions by storing iCloud user data using third-party servers rather than its own.”
You need take no action, provided you’re using the same email now that you used to sign up for the service - someone will be in touch. As for how much you’ll get, the piece says:
Each person in the class will “receive a pro rata distribution of the Settlement based on the overall payments made by each Class Member for his or her iCloud subscription during the Class Period,” so it depends on how much you spent during the period.
Even if they refunded everything though, the most you might have paid (assuming billing for all five-months) is about $50. It’s not nothin’, but you’re not getting rich.
For the $14.8 million, Apple comes away holy and blameless. “According to the terms of the settlement,” says Macworld, “Apple ‘maintains that it did nothing wrong and denies that it breached the iCloud Terms and Conditions with any user.’”
So I guess it’s just paying to be nice then. No need to hit refresh on your email just yet. “A Final Approval Hearing will be held on August 4,” according to the report.
Apple Maps Updated for Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver
Images via Apple Newsroom
25 MARCH 2022 - A few major metros in Canada have got that updated Apple Maps feel. The Cupertino-company issued a press release Thursday saying that Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver have seen their maps revved with Apple’s latest and greatest. The updated Maps experience includes three-dimensional city views, enhanced navigation, immersive walking directions, curated guides, iOS 15’s interactive globe, cycling directions, and more. Talking up the new Map thing, Apple’s senior VP of Services Eddy “the Butler” Cue said:
We’re excited for Apple Maps users to explore the beauty and culture of Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver in an incredibly detailed new way… Built with privacy at its core, this update is the continuation of our commitment to building the best, most accurate map of the world — with a beautifully designed experience and attention to detail that only Apple can deliver.
Last Awards Chatter Ahead of Oscars 2022
Still More Awards for “Ted Lasso” and CODA
25 MARCH 2022 - It’s hard to believe there are more awards for the Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” to win. And yet, both it and the Apple TV+ film CODA did that this week. The Mac Observer has word of their wins at the 37th annual Artios Awards. “Given by the Casting Society of America (CSA),” TMO says, “the Artios Awards are given in several different casting categories including Film, Television, and Theatre.”
This will shock you: “Ted Lasso” won for television and CODA won for film. Specifically, Team Lasso won in the category “Television Pilot and First Season – Comedy.” Meanwhile, the piece says CODA left with the award for the film category “Studio or Independent – Drama.”
Award Season Crescendo
I said it was hard to believe that “Ted Lasso” won another award only because I thought all of the TV awards were done. While CODA has won a fair share as well, there are still a few of big one in its sites. The Academy Awards are this weekend. Apple TV+ is up for six Oscars, three of which could go to CODA. The three no one’s talking about are for The Tragedy of Macbeth. They include nominations for:
Bruno Delbonnel for Best Cinematography
Stefan Dechant for Best Production Design
Denzel Washington for Best Actor
The ones everyone’s talking about are the three for CODA. They include nominations for:
Siân Heder for Best Adapted Screenplay
Troy Kotsur for Best Supporting Actor
CODA for Best Picture
Not to be a noodge, but how is it that CODA can be nominated for Best Picture but its director (writer/director Siân Heder) doesn’t get a shot at best director? Happens more often than you might think.
Just about everyone expects Kotsur to win best supporting. I’m not sure how many people expect CODA to win best picture, but no one will be surprised if it does. That’s especially true given its recent win at the Producers Guild Awards, where the film took home what basically amounts to the PGA’s best picture.
Win or lose, it will be a night for a party, and Apple is rumored to be throwing a big one. Variety says “Apple is hosting a post-Academy Awards bash at a building on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood.” To attend, one needs an invitation (I assume mine was lost in the mail) and cocktail attire is required (I have none, because I didn’t receive an invitation).
The Oscars will be held this Sunday 27 March. You’ll actually get to see some of them on television. It’ll be broadcast on ABC at 8pm EDT/5pm PDT. E-Online says “you can also watch online at ABC.com and the ABC app…” Blame them if it doesn’t work.
Counterpoint: iPhone Leads Premium Smartphones to Highest Rate Yet
24 MARCH 2022 - Premium smartphones grew at their highest level ever, last year, and Apple sold most of them. That’s according to the latest numbers from Counterpoint Research. The firm counts “premium smartphones” as those with a wholesale average selling price of over $400. According to a Counterpoint press release on Wednesday, sales of such phones grew 24% in 2021 versus 2020, reaching their highest level so far. By the firm’s reckoning, phones over $400 accounted for 27% of all smartphones sold worldwide in 2021. As for Apple’s place in that, the release says:
…Apple continued to lead the market, reaching the 60% sales share mark for the first time since 2017 driven by strong 5G upgrades for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series. The delayed launch of Apple devices in 2020 also pushed demand to 2021.
According to Counterpoint’s count, no other phone maker is close to Apple in the premium space. Apple’s 60% share of the premium smartphone market is followed by Samsung in second with a much smaller 17% share. Every other smartphone maker is in single digits or smaller.
In terms of connectivity, 5G has become the coin of the realm, though the firm says “4G continues to have share driven by the older iPhones – 11 and SE 2020 – and the Samsung S20 FE.” Of course, iPhone SE just went 5G as have more Samsung phone, so you can expect LTE offerings in the premium space to shrink in short order.
JP Morgan: iPhone 13 Outpacing Previous Models
Image via Apple
24 MARCH 2022 - When it comes to Apple’s dominance of the premium smartphone space, one might well expect more of the same. Apple Insider has written up a note from JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee. According to that note, iPhone 13 is crushing it. The piece has Chatterjee indicating that sales of the 13 line “remain elevated compared to prior lineups despite supply constraints…” According to the piece:
…Chatterjee writes that incremental datapoints support the investment bank's positive outlook for iPhone 13 demand in 2022. In fact, Chatterjee predicts record 2022 volumes on the iPhone 13 cycle, which has eclipsed the iPhone 12.
That said, carrier checks show a bit of a slowdown in iPhone sales. That’s due partly to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S22 and partly other Android phone makers working through supply chain issues. When I say “a bit of a slowdown” though, I do mean a bit. The piece has Chatterjee indicating that “Shares of Apple's iPhone moderated to below 70% at Verizon and T-Mobile stores.” Sure, Apple would rather see 70 or above, but they’re not below 50. They’re not below 60. They’re not doing bad. According to the analyst:
…Apple’s share remains above historical levels compared to typical seasonal share and Wave7 Research believes the data supports a structurally higher market share vs. past share.
Plus, they’ve got a whole new phone- have you heard? Quoting the analyst again:
With the recent launch of the iPhone SE 3, we expect older models to continue their decline in popularity, as the 5G-enabled SE 3 now presents an affordable 5G phone for the installed base of older phones.
Chatterjee has a positive rating on Apple shares. His price target on the shares is $210.
Wedbush: Apple Set for “Monster Growth Cycle”
24 MARCH 2022 - While JP Morgan’s Chatterjee was focused on the states in his Wednesday note, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives was going global, and coming back just as enthused. Apple 3.0 ran part of the note he wrote. Quoting part of that part:
Based on our recent supply chain checks in Asia we believe Apple is seeing stellar iPhone 13 demand globally on this elongated product cycle which is the drumroll to iPhone 14 this Fall. Supply chain shortages continue to be an issue for Cupertino, however we are seeing some discernible improvements into the June quarter which bodes well for the upcoming iPhone 14 release.
While he has been awake since the first of the year, he thinks the flight from tech has been a bit much. Quoting his note again:
…we believe the tech sector is as oversold as we have seen in the last five years and we would strongly be buying cloud, software, cyber security, chips, and stalwart tech names led by FAANG [Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google] with Apple our clear favorite.
Apple is his favorite 5G play, according to the note. Additionally, he and his “believe the company is setting up for a monster growth cycle over the next 12 to 18 [months] that is not baked into shares at current levels.”
Ives has an “Outperform” rating on Apple shares. His price target on the shares is $200.
Apple Buys UK Startup Credit Kudos
Image via Apple
24 MARCH 2022 - News of an interesting Apple acquisition that may mean a new home for Apple Card. MacRumors says the Cupertino-company has purchased the UK banking startup Credit Kudos. According to the report:
Credit Kudos offers insights and scores based on loan applications drawn from transaction and loan outcome banking data, sourced by the UK's open banking framework. The company's [website says its] API offers lenders a way to get faster, automated decision-making about loans with reduced risk and higher rates of acceptance…
We know Apple owns it because the terms of service on the Credit Kudos website now redirect to Apple's Terms of Use. As for Apple’s plan for Credit Kudos, no one outside of the companies knows for certain. But a number of sites, including MacRumors, think it is “plausible” that the Credit Kudos technology “could aid Apple with the launch of Apple Card in the UK.” Not the only idea bandied about, but “plausible.”
ID in Apple Wallet Taking Off at Phoenix Airport
Image via Apple Newsroom
24 MARCH 20220 - Ready or not, official IDs in Apple Wallet have gone live in their first state. A piece from Engadget says, “Arizona residents can add their driver's license or state ID to Wallet on their iPhone or Apple Watch.” And they can use it almost nowhere. They’re currently being accepted at “certain TSA checkpoints” at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, according to the report. The whole thing sounds as easy as 1, 2, 8. According to the report:
In Wallet on your iPhone, you can add a driver's license or state ID by scanning the card, taking a selfie and making head movements to prove the identification is yours. When it's time to present your info to the TSA, you'll provide consent through Face ID or Touch ID. The TSA will also take your photo to verify cards.
Or you could show them your ID. Actually, Apple says this will be safer. Engadget says:
Apple maintains that cards in Wallet can be more secure than their real-world counterparts. You only share necessary info, and you don't need to show your device to an official. All driver's license and state ID data is sent over an encrypted connection, and the requirement for biometric authentication should prevent others from viewing your sensitive details.
If I sound suspicious, forgive. I am not distrustful of the technology. I can’t help wondering, though, about what happens the first time an officer of the law says, “something’s not working. Let me see your phone.”
Apple Digital Car Key May Be Live for a Few More Cars
24 MARCH 2022 - From boarding a few planes to starting a few cars, Apple hardware is hitting the road in a bigger way. MacRumors says the company’s digital car key feature, which lets users unlock and start cars using an iPhone or Apple Watch, may have gone live for some Hyundai brands. Apple’s website indicates that it has for select 2022 models of Genesis and Kia, both of which are divisions of South Korean carmaker Hyundai.
For once, it looks like Apple let the cat out of the bag ahead of its partner. MacRumors says:
Apple updated a list of vehicles on its website this week to indicate that the 2022 Genesis GV60, 2022 Genesis G90, and 2022 Kia Niro now support the iPhone's car key feature.
That seems to have been news to the house of Niro. MacRumors says:
A spokesperson for Kia said the company “will have more information about Digital Key availability in the coming weeks,” while Genesis and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ford Steals Apple People Person for Top Spot in HR
Jennifer Waldo - Image via Detroit Free Press
24 MARCH 2022 - Ford has poached an Apple employee, though not one who worked on cars. Apple Insider highlights a report from the Detroit Free Press that says Jennifer Waldo is joining Ford as part of the carmaker’s restructuring. At Apple, Waldo was Vice President, People Business Partners. In fact, her LinkedIn page says she still is. But, she’s either not or won’t be, soon. She’s headed to Ford to take the company’s top human resources role. Speaking of Waldo to the Detroit Free Press, Ford CEO Jim Farley said:
Jen has incredible experience and a track record of helping companies across different industries build talent and culture to support innovation and growth… She will be an invaluable addition as we build a diverse, high-performance team to deliver the Ford+ plan.
Waldo’s not the only talent to leave Apple for the automaker. Last September, Apple Insider ran a piece about Doug Field making the move to Michigan. He is believed to have been working on Apple Car. He is now an advanced technology officer with Ford.
Apple Services See Mass Outages Two-Days In a Row
23 MARCH 2022 - A number of Apple services had outages on Monday. I didn’t bother hitting them Tuesday for a couple of reasons: First, they were fairly short lived and second, they were outages. Outages happen. Then they happened again Tuesday, so let’s talk, shall we?
Apple’s System Status Page as Services Started Returning - 22 March 2022
Over 20 Apple services saw either outages or issues, according to Apple’s System Status page on Monday, including the App Store, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple Card, Apple Pay & Wallet, Find My, Game Center, a slew of iCloud services, iMessage, iOS Device Activation, and the list goes on. A lot of the notes had outages running from around 12:30 PM EDT to about 1:15 PM. The note for Apple Music said that outage lasted from just after 12:30 PM EDT to a little bit after 2:30 PM EDT. The note said that the service “may have been slow or unavailable” and that “Some users were affected.” Where Music was concerned, I was not among the affected - three cheers for me.
I was affected by Tuesday’s outage though, at least where Music was concerned. Going alphabetically, the App Store, Apple Books, Apple Card, Apple Music, Game Center, iCloud Web Apps, the Mac App Store, Podcasts, and Weather all had either issues or outages. Those all seem to have started between 4:50 and 5:10 PM EDT. Apple listed them all as back online at around ten-past-six on the East Coast.
Apple’s System Status Pages Amidst Service Outages - 23 March 2022
On Tuesday morning - after the Monday outages but before Tuesday’s, Apple 3.0 ran a report under the headline, “Rare Apple outage makes news ahead of WH cyberattack warning.” The site also ran an excerpt from a Wall Street Journal article about Monday’s outage. Apple 3.0’s Philip Elmer-DeWitt followed all of that with the comment, “The White House’s warning to prepare for Russian cyberattacks came [Monday] just as the Apple outage was wrapping up. A coincidence? Probably.” Weird take, since the Journal story mentioned neither Russia nor the White House. You’ve kinda gotta wonder why he brought it up.
The White House warning was about possible cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, by the way, not on our ability to hear the latest single from Ki: Theory. I don’t know… massive outages happen. Massive outages two days in a row is curious. It’s not nothin’. At the same time, it’s probably nothin’. Let’s see if anything happens today.
Apple and WiLAN Settle Outstanding Patent Dispute
23 MARCH 2022 - Apple has settled a suit with a patent troll. I’m sorry - with a “patent monetization” firm. Engadget say the Cupertino-company and Canada’s WiLAN have inked a licensing deal. Set the wayback machine for 2014 - that is when WiLAN sued Apple “over two patents WiLAN claimed covered voice over LTE technologies featured in a variety of iPhone models at the time.” Now, Engadget says:
…the two companies have settled all court cases that were ongoing between them in the US, Canada and Germany related to a series of wireless technology patents. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Maybe one of them was, “go away forever.” Referring to the “patent monetization” firm as “something of a notorious patent troll,” the piece points out that WiLAN sued Apple a few times in the past. Given the embarrassment of riches on which Apple sits, Engadget seems to think that WiLAN will be back.
Judge OKs AliveCor Antitrust Suit Against Apple
23 MARCH 2022 - As one lawsuit goes away, another gets the go ahead. The Mac Observer says a U.S. federal judge has ruled that Apple will have to answer charges brought by AliveCor, developer of the app SmartRhythm. TMO says the company argues that:
…Apple made changes to the heart rate algorithms of the Apple Watch. These changes rendered it impossible for third-party ECG apps to send alerts to users when it’s time to take an ECG. Like Apple’s own Health Apps that are native to iOS, SmartRhythm also alerts users when irregular heart beat patterns occur.
AliveCor’s argument is that the changes made by Apple constitute a violation of antitrust law. The judge hearing the case decided that AliveCor made a strong enough case to go ahead with a case. The judge wasn’t 100% Team AliveCor though. The Mac Observer says the judge dismissed the firm’s charge “that Apple illegally monopolized the ECG-capable smartwatch market.”
Apple Announces New Initiatives for Educators
Image via Apple Newsroom
23 MARCH 2022 - Apple is going to teach people to teach teachers to teach with Apple gear. The Cupertino-company issued a press release Tuesday announcing Apple Learning Coach and the new Apple Education Community. According to the release:
Apple Learning Coach is a free professional learning program that trains instructional coaches, digital learning specialists, and other coaching educators to help teachers effectively use Apple technology in the classroom. Through a mix of self-paced lessons and virtual workshop sessions with Apple Professional Learning Specialists, participants come away from the experience with an actionable portfolio, a cohort of peers, and the opportunity to apply for continuing education credits…
As for the Apple Education Community, the release says:
The site will serve as the hub for Apple’s depth of professional learning programs — including Apple Teacher and Apple Learning Coach. It will feature the Learning Center educators know and love, and introduce the Forum, launching in beta, which will serve as a secure, collaborative space for educators to connect and learn from each other.
The company is accepting applications for Apple Learning Coach now through 19 April. The Apple Education Community is expected to go live by the fall.
In addition to all of that, the company says that Apple School Manager and Apple Business Manager will integrate directory sync and federated authentication with Google Workspace identity services. If that means something to you, you may be excited. Folks who want more info can find it at AppleSeed for IT. Google Workspace integration with Apple School Manager is expected to go live this spring.
Apple Updates Firmware for Beats Fit Pro
Image via BeatsByDre.com
23 MARCH 2022 - If you’ve got a pair of Beats Fit Pro, you’ve got a firmware update. MacRumors says firmware version 4E64 came out on Tuesday. No information about what it does so far, and no standard way to start an update. According to the piece:
…[the] firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the earbuds are connected to an iOS device. Putting the Beats Fit Pro in the case, connecting them to a power source, and then pairing them to an iPhone or an iPad should force the update after a short period of time.
Apple’s Shazam Adds Concert Finding Features
23 MARCH 2022 - If the year or two since you’ve been out on the floor is a year or two too many, Shazam is ready to get you back to a venue near you. MacRumors says Apple’s audio discovery app has added a few new features meant to make finding concerts easier. “When Shazaming a song,” says the piece:
…searching for it in the Shazam app, or looking for it on the Shazam website, users will now see concert information and details on tickets available for upcoming shows located nearby.
If, on the other hand, you have a specific act in mind, cool. The piece says users can now open an artist or group’s page in Shazam to find dates, times, and venues where he, she, or they are playing.
Apple TV No Longer Sells or Rents Through Android TV and Google TV
23 MARCH 2022 - It looks like another little rift has opened between Apple and Google. Cult of Mac says, as of now, “It’s no longer possible to purchase or rent new content through the Apple TV app on Android TV and Google TV.” This after less than a year of availability on the platforms. The piece has Daring Fireball's John Gruber saying the two companies couldn’t come to terms on continuing sales. Gruber says he’s heard from:
…sources familiar with the matter, that this is entirely about Apple and Google not being able to reach mutually agreeable terms on in-app payment commissions…
Until this update, Apple had been running on an exemption not to use Google’s IAP. The exemption expired, so Apple TV on Android TV is now ‘reader only’.
That means content bought or rented through Apple TV will play through the Google platforms. They just can’t be purchased there. Gruber says Apple doesn’t really like selling through Google anyway since to do so means paying a commission, which is kind of hilarious. Instead of the ability to buy in the Apple TV app, Cult of Mac says Apple has added a “How to Watch” button. The piece says that button tells users how to “buy content on another device to watch on Android TV or Google TV.” That is also hilarious. Cult of Mac sees that as hypocritical on Apple’s part, since such behavior is against the rules of Apple’s own App Store. Of course, they’re not in the App Store. Those rules don’t apply.
I think it’s hilarious.
“Severance” Blurs the Line with LinkedIn Page for Lumon Industries
Image via LinkedIn
23 MARCH 2022 - The Apple TV+ show “Severance” is blurring the line between reality and fiction. No, not with the on-screen mind numbry of the work life it shows, and no - not with the “tell all” title released on Apple Books last week. Well… not just with those things. This time they’re doing it on the professional world’s answer to Friendster.
Mashable spotted a LinkedIn page for Lumon Industries, the creepy, cultish corporation at the center of the Apple series. The way the piece describes it:
Lumon's page absolutely nails the tone of a company trying too hard on LinkedIn. It posts cheery business platitudes that align with founder Kier Eagan's 9 core principles, and it introduces the "Innies" who work on the Severed floor with short descriptions focusing solely on their productivity.
Easter eggs but no apparent spoilers for those who want to check it out.