Cathie Wood, a high-profile money manager at Ark Invest, said “Apple should have bought Tesla” when they had an opportunity to do so.
Charlotte Henry
Charlotte is a media junkie, covering how Apple is not just a revolutionary tech firm, but a revolutionary media firm for TMO. She is based in London, and writes and broadcasts for various outlets.
Articles by Charlotte Henry
Ex-Apple Staffer Discusses Shortcuts on macOS Monterey
In a new AppleInsider podcast, former Apple employee Matthew Cassinelli to discusses the integration of Shortcuts in macOS Monterey. For those of us still getting used to the addition, it’s a conversation worth listening to.
Since the public release of macOS Monterey, users can now create, edit, and sync their iOS Shortcuts directly on a Mac. Announced earlier this year at WWDC, Shortcuts on macOS will also slowly replace the previous automation tool, Automator, bringing one system to the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Matthew Cassinelli previously worked on the original Workflow app, which was acquired by Apple in 2017 and evolved into the Shortcuts app. After staying on the team at Apple for a short time, Matthew became an independent creator, helping others learn Shortcuts, and reporting on new actions available with every update.
[Headline corrected November 26 to clarify that Mr. Cassinelli was not an engineer at Apple.]
Apple Temporarily Halts Sales in Turkey
Apple temporarily halted sales in Turkey following a currency crash in the country, MacRumors reported. While the site was functional, customers could not add items to an online basket or check-out. The move occurred on Tuesday, but remained true at the time of this writing.
Right now, Apple’s Turkey storefront is up and operational, but no devices are able to be added to a virtual cart or purchased at this time because of the volatility. A Turkish lira is equivalent to approximately 0.078 U.S. dollars at the current time, and its value has been steadily falling since last week. Over the course of the last year, the Lira has dropped 45 percent vs. the dollar. There is no word on when Apple might resume sales in Turkey, but inflation is close to 20 percent and with Erdogan continuing to refuse to raise interest rates, the downward slide may continue.
Why Apple's Polishing Cloth Costs US$19
There was much derision when Apple’s polishing cloth, costing US$19, was unveiled, but there is a theory behind the price point.
WhatsApp Working on Audio Message Playback Speed Controls
WhatsApp is seemingly working on a feature that will allow users to control the playback speed of audio messages, something that already exists for voice notes. iMore spotted the development on a WABetaInfo post. Audio messages seem to be becoming increasingly popular, so I imagine this feature will be a welcome addition on the widely used app.
Audio messages are essentially forwarded voice notes, but while the latter can have its playback speed manipulated by the user, that isn’t the case with the former. According to a WABetaInfo post, that’s going to change — and has already done so for those who are testing the WhatsApp beta release. “The feature to play voice notes using different playback speeds was a huge success. After releasing the feature on WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.9.10 and WhatsApp Messenger beta for iOS 2.21.90.11 updates, WhatsApp is now working on a new version of the feature, making it compatible with audio messages.”
Spotify and Netflix Combine on New Hub For Shows Like 'Squid Game' and Money Heist'
Spotify and Netflix are collaborating on a new hub providing access to official soundtracks, playlists, podcasts, and exclusive content.
Apple and Amazon Hit With US$225 Million Antirust Fines in Italy
Italy’s antitrust authority has handed out fines worth a combined total of over US$225 million to Apple and Amazon, who intend to appeal.
Colourful HomePod Minis Now Available in Australia, New Zealand, India and European Countries
HomePod minis in the latest colors are now available in Australia, New Zealand, and India, as well as a host of European countries.
Happy Birthday to Me(dia)+ — Media+
It’s Media+’s first birthday! Kelly Guimont joins Charlotte Henry to celebrate and discuss all that has changed in the digital media landscape during the last 12 months.
Strong Q3 Shows Samsung Narrowing Gap With Apple Watch
A strong third quarter has helped Samsung’s wearables narrow the gap with the Apple Watch in the smartwatch market.
Apple Expanding Footprint in Israel
Apple is expanding its R&D footprint in Israel, AppleInsider reported. It is taking a lease one significant site in Herzliya Pituach, a city north of Tel Aviv. The company looks to be placing itself at the heart of the booming tech scene in the country (although many startups operate in Tel Aviv).
It’s not clear whether Apple will lease the entire building, but it is taking a reported 44,000 square meters, plus 650 parking spaces. This adds to the existing 31,000 square meters above ground, reports Globes, and 27,000 square meters underground. The original site housed 800 staff who worked for flash memory producer Anobit, and motion sensing company PrimeSense, both of which had been acquired by Apple. The mid-2015 expansion was reportedly intended to give those staff more room, rather than to make space for more employees.
'The Morning Show' Stars And Showrunner Reflect on Season Two, Look Ahead to Season Three
The stars and showrunner Kerry Ehrin of The Morning Show had a long conversation with The Hollywood Reporter in which they reflected on season two of the show. They also voiced their hopes and ideas for season three. What’s interesting is that the series has not been renewed at the time of this writing. Other big Apple TV+ hits like Ted Lasso and Mythic Quest have. If The Morning Show does return, future seasons will hopefully be more coherent than the one that just finished.
The Morning Show team is waiting on a renewal from Apple. “We haven’t had an official pickup for a third season. We’re waiting on that,” said Ehrin, who has an overall development deal with the streamer. When asked if she envisions one or more seasons, or plans to take a beat before returning to The Morning Show‘s writers room, Ehrin replied: “That’s a huge question. I feel like the show has a lot of different projections that would work for it. I think right now, I just finished a season that has taken two years. I am just taking a break!”
Apple Music Keeps Album Shuffle Option as Adele Prompts Spotify Change
Spotify has removed the shuffle button from all album pages following dialogue with the singer Adele, but it remains on Apple Music.
![Ted Lasso Stars Attend Q and A as Apple The Grove Reopens [Updated]](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Ted-Lasso-Apple-The-Grove.webp)
Ted Lasso Stars Attend Q and A as Apple The Grove Reopens [Updated]
Some of the stars of Ted Lasso took part in a Q&A event at Apple’s retail location at The Grove in Los Angeles.
Jacki Weaver Joining Billy Crudup in Apple TV+ Series ‘Hello Tomorrow!’
Jacki Weaver has joined the cast of forthcoming Apple TV+ show ‘Hello Tomorrow!’, Deadline reported. The two-time Oscar nominee will appear alongside Billy Crudup, whose performance was one of the few good positives in season two of The Morning Show.
Created, written and executive produced by Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen, who will serve as showrunners, Hello Tomorrow! is set in a retro-future world. It revolves around a group of traveling salesmen hawking lunar timeshares. Crudup, who also executive produces, stars as Jack, a salesman of great talent and ambition whose unshakable faith in a brighter tomorrow inspires his co-workers and revitalizes his desperate customers but threatens to leave him dangerously lost in the very dream that sustains him.
Native Instruments Offers 50 Percent Off in Cyber Season Sale
Native Instruments, the makers of Traktor Pro and other popular music software, have launched a 50 percent off Cyber Season sale.
watchOS 8.1.1 Fixing Apple Watch Series 7 Issue Out Now
The watchOS 8.1.1 update was released on Thursday. It fixes a charging issue with the Apple Watch Series 7, MacRumors reported. I could not see the update available on my SE, even after updating to iOS 15.1.1, so don’t worry if you have an older device and also don’t see it.
According to Apple’s release notes, the watchOS 8.1.1 update addresses an issue that could cause Apple Watch Series 7 models not to charge as expected for some users. Some Apple Watch Series 7 owners have noticed slow charging speeds for their devices, and this update should fix the bug causing the problem.
New Mariah Carey Christmas Special to Debut December 3 on Apple TV+
Mariah Carey’s new Apple TV+ Christmas special lands December 3 and includes the only performance of new single, ‘Fall in Love at Christmas’.
Why Apple's Move Into Sports Broadcasting is Not Inevitable
The general consensus is that Apple will broadcast live sports through TV+ in the not too distant future. That may not be the case.
SharePlay Works With These Apps
SharePlay works with a variety of apps, allowing users to watch and listen to content with friends and family over FaceTime.
Apple Named as Travis Scott and Astroworld Organizers Sued
Apple has been named in legal papers alongside Travis Scott and other organizers of a concert at which there was a fatal crush on November 5.
What Does The Red Dot on Top of Your Apple Watch Face Mean?
A red dot on top of your Apple Watch face means that there are unread notifications waiting for you from one or more apps.
Apple Promoting Express Transit in London
Apple has been promoting Express Transit inside the Wallet app in London, 9to5 Mac reported on Tuesday. I had a look whilst using public transport on Wednesday, and didn’t notice the ads. However, it’s interesting that some users did have this relatively underused feature highlighted to them, and that not all of them were happy about it.
When you click on it, Apple explains how to get around using the Express Mode feature, which does not require Face ID or Touch ID when paying for public transportation…The weird thing about this activation, which you could call an ad, is that this notification appears even if you have the Express Mode feature already enabled – and it toggles an icon alert on the Wallet app as well. This is not the first time Apple users have complained about the company inserting ads on their devices.
Sharing The Stories of Young Artists From Today at Apple Creative Studios
On Wednesday, Apple shared the stories of various artists who have been mentored through Today at Apple Creative Studios. They released the details as the sites in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Chicago reach various milestones. However, it is the individual stories of the artists themselves that are most eye-catching.
When Hannah Abrahim joined Creative Studios – LA, she’d already been actively pursuing her dreams as a singer-songwriter, but wanted to enhance her skills. Abrahim’s work throughout the program resulted in her final project song, “Fantasy,” which started as a love letter to the city of LA, but soon became a love letter to its people. LA is full of individuals who share multicultural ethnic backgrounds like herself, and she wanted it to be empowering for them. The bridge sung in Spanish not only speaks to the large Latin population living in LA, but also Abrahim’s own Puerto Rican heritage.