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Apple Joins Academy Software Foundation as Premier Member

Andrew Orr ·

The Academy Software Foundation advocates for greater open source software development in the motion picture and media industries. Apple has joined as a Premier member.

To support the continued growth of open source software across our industry, we have the privilege of providing developers with tools that make it easier to contribute code and participate in the community…With Apple as a new member, we hope to work with them to improve support for Apple platforms, which will continue to democratize open source software development.

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Spotify Wants to Track Your Location so Friends Don't Use a Family Plan

Andrew Orr ·

In more location tracking news today, Spotify wants to track yours because non-family members sometimes use Family Plans *gasp!*.

“The changes to the policy allow Spotify to arbitrarily use the location of an individual to ascertain if they continue to reside at the same address when using a family account, and it’s unclear how often Spotify will query users’ devices for this information,” said Christopher Weatherhead, technology lead for UK watchdog group Privacy International, adding that there are “worrying privacy implications.”

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iOS 13 Forced Facebook to Admit it Collects Your Location Data

Andrew Orr ·

Yes, I know how shocked you are folks. As it turns out, Facebook lied about yet another thing: It totally collects your location data, and admitted that fact itself in a blog post.

For years the antisocial media giant has claimed it doesn’t track your location, insisting to suspicious reporters and privacy advocates that its addicts “have full control over their data,” and that it does not gather or sell that data unless those users agree to it.

Then, late on Monday, Facebook emitted a blog post in which it kindly offered to help users “understand updates” to their “device’s location settings.”

You may have missed the critical part amid the glowing testimony so we’ll repeat it: “… use precise location even when you’re not using the app…”

Quote from a TMO reader: “Hoping that FB will somehow become secure is as much magical thinking as expecting a wild pig to perform the role Juliet for Bolshoi.”

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Netflix should worry about Apple TV+

Charlotte Henry ·

None of Apple TV+ contented revealed so far looks particularly revolutionary. However, argues Oliva Ovenden at Esquire, Netflix should still be worried.

As Apple will know from watching its soon-to-be competitors win awards for their success stories, having one tentpole series can be enough for users to stay. Both Hulu and Amazon Prime Video have earned multiple Emmy Awards for The Handmaid’s Tale and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel respectively, off-setting series which have been received less favourably. Apple TV+ only need one huge hit to make people’s Netflix subscription feel less worthwhile, and they’ve got enough money to keep trying until they get one. Getting in on the streaming game is a shrewd move given how many of Apple’s customers are currently watching Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple’s phones, laptops and tablets.

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Former Apple Senior Director Michael Gartenberg (#7) - Background Mode Interview

John Martellaro · · Add Comment

Michael Gartenberg spent three years as Apple’s Senior Director of Product Marketing, reporting directly to Senior VP Phil Schiller. In his seventh appearance on Background Mode, Michael and I analyze Apple’s September 10, 2019 iPhone event: “By Innovation Only.”

We started with a discussion of the overall content and tenor of the event. Was the scripting more evident than usual? Is the format wearing thin? Why were there no success numbers touted as is customary? In the second segment, we looked at some of the new products announced. Michael and I also pondered whether some of the traditional inspirational and aspirational elements were in too short supply. And, crucially, why was Phil Schiller’s shirt tucked in? Michael is well versed in Apple marketing strategies and is always a delight to have on the show.

Cool Stuff Found

iPad 7, Apple Watch Series 5 Available for Preorder

Andrew Orr ·

News that might have gotten lost in the new of iPhone 11 is that the Apple Watch Series 5 and iPad 7 are available to preorder now, while we have to wait until tonight/tomorrow to preorder the new iPhones.

Apple Watch Series 5: Starting at 32GB of storage, Series 5 has an always-on display, a Compass app, and available in more finishes, colors, and materials, like titanium and ceramic. Preorder it here starting at US$399.

iPad 7th Gen: This is an updated version of what became known as the education iPad. It has a 10.2-inch display with thin bezels like the old 10.5-inch iPad Pro. The 10.2-inch Retina display has almost 3.5 million pixels, an A10 Fusion chip, and for the first time, an 100% recycled aluminum body. Preorder it here for US$329.

Both will be officially out on September 30.

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New Exploit Shows We Should Just Skip to iOS 13.1

Andrew Orr ·

A contacts exploit was discovered in iOS 13 that lets a person bypass Face ID / Touch ID to see an iPhone’s contacts.

Relatively little is at stake with this exploit. Beyond the inherent danger of an assailant having your iPhone, this method only allows someone to view the contacts within the target iPhone, provided that they have physical access to the target phone and can complete the VoiceOver exploit.

Little is at stake, but there have been so my iOS exploits in the news lately that we might as well go straight to iOS 13.1.

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T-Mobile Offers iPhone 11 for 50% Off With a Trade In

Andrew Orr ·

T-Mobile has an aggressive strategy for the iPhone 11: People who sign up for a plan and trade in an old iPhone can get the iPhone 11 for up to 50% off.

Here’s the full pricing break down from T-Mobile: Save $550 when you trade in an iPhone XS Max 64GB or 256GB; save $500 when you trade in an iPhone XS 64GB or 256GB; and save $350 when you trade in an iPhone XR 64GB or 128GB, X 64GB, 8, 8 Plus, 7 or 7 Plus.

Those are great deals, especially for people with older models like the iPhone 7.

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Uber Pushes Back Against New California Contractor Law

Charlotte Henry ·

Uber pushed back against a new employment law in California, Wired reported. The law was designed with ride-hailing apps in mind, trying to get them classify drivers as employees not contractors.

The company’s argument rests on a premise that’s been a cornerstone since its early days: that Uber is a technology company, not a transportation one. The California law, called Assembly Bill 5, reaffirms a 2018 California Supreme Court decision that established a three-part test to separate independent contractors from employees, who are eligible for minimum wage, health care benefits, workers’ compensation, and other protections. A worker is only an independent contractor if she is not under the control or direction of the company while she’s working; if her work is “outside the usual course” of the company’s business; and if she is “customarily engaged” in the same kind of work that she does for the company. This three-part test is already in limited use in Massachusetts and New York.