Patent lawsuits certainly keep Apple’s legal team busy. A Texas company has sued Cupertino over alleged Apple Pay patent infringement.
Jeff Butts
Jeff Butts is a seasoned tech aficionado with deep roots in the Apple ecosystem. Starting his journey in the early 1980s by experimenting with hardware, Jeff has always been driven by a desire to get the most out of technological devices. His expertise has led him to prominent roles in the industry, including a nearly three-year stint as a Reporter at AppAdvice and an impressive seven-year tenure as a Writer/Editor for Byrnes Publishing, LLC. More recently, Jeff lent his technical insights to HotHardware, Inc. as a Tech Editor. With his extensive experience and unwavering commitment to providing valuable content, Jeff continues to be a trusted voice for readers keen on Apple products and innovations.
Articles by Jeff Butts
Challenges Ahead for Apple Pay Adoption
Looking at studies in consumer spending habits, we can see that there are clearly some hurdles still ahead for Apple Pay adoption.
Apple Car Project Chief Heads to Ford
While we speculate Cupertino executives are in Tokyo talking to Toyota, another Apple Car project chief is moving to new highways.
Rogue Amoeba's Fission Pulled from the Mac App Store
Rogue Amoeba has pulled Fission from the Mac App Store after almost a decade of trying to convince Apple to improve the service for users.
Apple Watch Series 7 Coming Soon, but in Short Supply
We’re waiting for the iPhone 13 event, when Apple also unveils the Apple Watch Series 7. Deliveries of the new Watch might be later, though.
Salvadorans Protest Bitcoin Law, But Don’t Know What It Is
El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law goes into effect on September 7. Most Salvadorans think it should be repealed, but they don’t know what it means.
AppleToo Workers File First Two Labor Law Complaints
While Cupertino struggles to hold on to its culture of secrecy, the AppleToo organizers have filed two labor law complaints against Apple.
Get Up to $30 Off Your Groceries with Instacart and Apple Pay
From now until September 8, 2021, US customers can get a hefty discount off their grocery order. The latest Apple Pay promotion gets new Instacart customers $30 off any order of $50 or more. Existing customers also benefit from the promotion with a smaller discount.Existing Instacart customers can get $5 off an order of $35 or more. If you subscribe to Apple Pay emails, you should have received a promotion code. If not, you will find a promotion banner to click at the top of the iOS Instacart app once you have Apple Pay enabled.
Apple Delays Its CSAM Scanning ‘Features’
The controversy surrounding Apple’s proposed CSAM scanning features has been noticed. The iPhone maker announced it’s delaying the rollout.
Maybe Toyota Will Build the Apple Car
We’ve all been speculating for quite some time over who will build the Apple Car. The latest rumors point to Japanese auto maker Toyota.
The Day Richard Branson's Spaceflight Veered Off-Course
Going into space is no trivial feat. It’s actually so dangerous that 1.4 percent of Russian, Soviet, and American crewed spaceflight missions have resulted in fatalities. Still, Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origins wants to turn it commercial, and so does Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. Richard Branson’s July 2021 maiden voyage out of the atmosphere veered off course early on. Critics say the pilots should have aborted the mission. They didn’t, and Branson still made it safely into orbit and then back home. Nicholas Smidle might be the most knowledgeable journalist on Branson’s Virgin Galactic efforts. The writer shared his knowledge of and insight on the incident. Even though the crew made it home safe and sound, I’m still worried about the safety of space tourism. At least for now.
The craft was about twenty miles in the air above the White Sands Missile Range, in New Mexico, and climbing, travelling more than twice the speed of sound. But it was veering off course, and the light was a warning to the pilots that their flight path was too shallow and the nose of the ship was insufficiently vertical. If they didn’t fix it, they risked a perilous emergency landing in the desert on their descent.
Reader Apps Can Soon Bypass App Store Payments
In a move to appease the Japan Fair Trade Commission, Apple will start letting some apps link to their websites to bypass App Store payments.
Apple Silicon Success Means Google Will Design Chromebook Processors Itself
Following on the heels of Cupertino’s success with Apple Silicon, Google has plans to design Chromebook processors itself.
Virtual Meeting Miscues Can Get You Fired
If you don’t believe virtual meeting mistakes can get someone fired, nearly 25 percent of executives in one survey can prove you wrong.
Apple’s Bias Against Discussing Pay Equity Rears Its Head in Slack
Apple recently barred employees from discussing pay equity on Slack. Jeff Butts believes this censorship clearly demonstrates Cupertino’s reluctance to deal with an important issue.
Use Your Keyboard and Mouse in Games With IOGEAR KeyMander 2 Mobile
If you want the power of being able to use keyboard and mouse in your games, this accessory is just what you need.
LEGO Star Wars Battles Coming to Apple Arcade
Fans of LEGO and a galaxy far, far away rejoice. Lego Star Wars Battles will soon be available on Apple Arcade for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
New South Korean Law Changes App Store Payments
Recently passed by South Korea’s National Assembly, the Telecommunications Business Act could be the first to change app store payments.
How To Force Zoom to Quit When It Won’t Shut Down
While Zoom is normally a fairly well-behaved app that closes when it should, sometimes it gets stuck. Jeff Butts walks you through how to use Terminal commands to force Zoom to quit when it simply won’t.
Miami Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing 1,500 iPhones
A man from Florida is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to stealing 1,500 iPhones. Over two years, he made quite an illicit living.
Was That a Notchless Next-Gen iPhone on Ted Lasso?
We’ve been hearing speculation that the next generation of the iPhone will have a smaller camera notch than current models. Through either an unintentional leak or just a post-production editing mistake, the Ted Lasso audience got a peek of a notchless next-gen iPhone in the August 27 episode. The handset looks like an iPhone 12 from the rear, but images of the screen seem to show iOS 14 wallpaper without the usual cutout from the camera notch.
Apple is notorious for its secrecy, so it seems unlikely that this is a deliberate signal that the notch is disappearing from the iPhone 13. That said, it’s been rumored for months now that the iPhone 13 would have a much smaller notch or a hole-punch selfie camera. However, a completely notchless display isn’t believed to be in the cards for this year’s iPhone.
Developer Describes “Kafkaesque” App Store Review
The debacle an award-winning app for kids faced during an App Store review of an update was like something out of Kafka, the app’s CEO says.
iPhone 13 Can Text or Call Without Cellular Coverage, Analyst Claims
If one reliable analyst is correct, the iPhone 13 can text or call even without cell coverage. The smartphone can use satellites, instead.
Apple Won't Mandate COVID-19 Vaccination
While the iPhone maker is strongly encouraging employees to get the shot, Apple still promises not to mandate COVID-19 vaccination.