Ralph Nader has penned an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook urging him to suspend his company’s plan to to spend US$100 Billion on stock buybacks.
The Back Page
Cybersecurity Tech Accord: 34 Tech Companies Just Promised a Bunch of Nothing
The Accord has gotten some positive headlines, but Bryan Chaffin doesn’t think the announcement stands up to logical scrutiny.
Russia's Telegram Ban Could Be First Salvo against Apple's iMessage and Other Encrypted Platforms
On Monday, state regulators began blocking access to Telegram, and Bryan Chaffin is wondering what that might mean for Apple and its iMessage platform, and to other encrypted communications platforms.
Apple Park Architect Credits Jony Ive's Design Team as Cocreators of Steve Jobs Theater
Stefan Behling, a Foster + Partners partner and one of the lead architects on Apple Park, told Wallpaper, a design magazine, that the Steve Jobs Theater was the product of a deep collaboration between Foster + Partners and sir Jony’s team.
This Photograph Shows Why Apple Built the Steve Jobs Theater
Apple has quietly rewritten the rules for media events and presentation yet again, and this photograph demonstrates that.
Monday's Apple WWDC Keynote Just Got Even More Exciting
Apple issued two developer-centric press releases, and that can only mean the company has too much stuff to fit them in during Monday’s WWDC keynote.
Apple Could Own Device-Centric AI with Custom Chip
Such a chip could give Apple a significant leg up deploying artificial intelligence, and if it succeeds, few of its competitors could respond.
Apple Pays Zilch in New Zealand Taxes on $4.2 Billion in Sales
Apple paid roughly zip to New Zealand Inland Revenue—that country’s taxing authority—over ten years, even while selling $4.2 billion in merchandise in the country. The practice is scrupulously legal—and therefore OK in the eyes of many. Bryan Chaffin, however, doesn’t think it’s right.
Apple's Computing Future Could Be the Reverse ToasterFridge
Jean-Louis Gassée has an excellent piece on the future of desktop and mobile operating systems. It includes some lore—including that time Apple tried to buy a a code dump of BeOS from Palm—and some interesting speculation on the future. Both are well worth your time, and it got me thinking about an old interview of Steve Jobs from the mid-1990s. Think: the Reverse ToasterFridge.
Touch Bar Is Apple's Double Down Against the Foolishness of ToasterFridges
Bryan Chaffin argues that the new MacBook pro’s Touch Bar is Apple’s double down against the ToasterFridge. More specifically, Touch Bar is Apple’s solution for the same need that ToasterFridges are trying to fill.
Ageism Is Not an Institutional Problem at Apple Retail
Does Apple have an ageist problem when hiring for its Apple retail locations? If so, it’s not institutional, and the situation that sparked the original story doesn’t actually back up such a claim. Bryan Chaffin digs into the issues.
Tim Cook Pivots to Play Active Role in Shaping Apple Narrative
Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a major pivot in managing the affairs of Apple. Bryan Chaffin believes Mr. Cook made a conscious decision to play an active role in shaping the Apple narrative.
The Curse of Apple Supporting Older Hardware
A group of consumers are complaining Apple is using planned obsolescence to hobble their older devices with new operating systems. Bryan Chaffin argues Apple should instead get credit for supporting older devices better than any other company.
Spotify Says Apple Unfair, Apple Says Spotify Doesn't Want to Play by the Rules
Spotify and Apple are having a public spat, and it’s not exactly going well for Spotify. Spotify has publicly accused Apple of rigging the game for streaming music, and it even rigged a situation it could hang a whinge on. The problem is that it was transparent ploy and Apple called the company on it. In Public.