The Mosquito Coast has been renewed for a second season on Apple TV+, ahead of the first series finale, which will premiere Friday.
Season Three of Apple TV+ Hit 'Dickinson' is Now Shooting, Star Jane Krakowski Reveals
The cast and crew of Dickinson are back at work shooting season three of the Apple TV+ hit, star Jane Krakowski has confirmed.
Might Apple buy a Hollywood Studio? Analysts Think it Should
The lack of content on Apple TV+ compared to its rivals is a regular source of discussion and criticism against the service. According to The Hollywood Reporter, some analysts want it to fill this gap by following Amazon in purchasing a major Hollywood studio.
CEO Tim Cook has described streamer Apple TV+’s ambition “to be one of the most desired platforms for storytellers,” singling out comedy series Ted Lasso, drama The Morning Show and the miniseries Defending Jacob as its titles with “significant buzz.” But the streamer is seen by some Wall Street analysts as lacking multiple, regular breakout hits, which has led some to argue for a studio acquisition. Morgan Stanley research released in April found only 8 percent of U.S. respondents said they use Apple TV+, a figure that lags far below Netflix (58 percent), Amazon Prime (45 percent) and Disney+ (31 percent).
Apple v Epic Wrapup – TMO Daily Observations 2021-06-02
Charlotte Henry joins host Kelly Guimont to bring us up to speed on the Apple v Epic case, and look ahead to what it could mean for the App Store.
Apple Music Celebrates Black Music Month
June is Black Music Month. Apple Music will be celebrating and exploring the contribution Black artists have made with playlists and other content. It also released a new video celebrating “creators and the cross-cultural dialogues that bring the world so much texture, light, and joy.”
Will Apple Ever Give More Than 5GB iCloud Storage For Free?
Steve Jobs unveiled iCloud in June 2011 and, a decade on, the amount of free storage offered has still not increased beyond 5GB. 9to5Mac has published a good history lesson of the service, including speculation on how the paid tiers could change to help both Apple and users.
There is an argument to be made that Apple’s services revenue would actually benefit from giving away slightly more upfront to reel people in and entice customers into paid plans. 5 GB isn’t enough to even try out iCloud Photos in any meaningful capacity. If instead the free tier was matching Google’s at 15 GB, it would enable Apple users to get a reasonable amount of photos backing up to iCloud, experience some of the benefits of cloud sync, and then be more likely persuaded into committing to a paid plan. To pull this off, you’d have to adjust the paid tiers accordingly. Maybe a lineup of 15 GB free, 100 GB for $0.99/month, 300 GB for $2.99/month and 2 TB for $9.99/month could be compelling. An even cheekier approach could be to only increase the storage offered as part of Apple One, making the higher-value subscriptions more attractive for consumers migrating from the free plan.
China, Not Taiwan, Now Home to Most Apple Suppliers
China and Hong Kong combined were the biggest sources of Apple suppliers in 2020, knocking Tawain of the top spot.
Apple Podcast Subscriptions Rollout Faces Delay
The rollout of subscriptions in Apple Podcasts, expected in May, has been delayed and will now happen later this month.
Apple TV+ Wins Rights to Comedy ‘The Big Door Prize’ From ‘Schitt’s Creek' Writer David West Read
Apple TV+ has landed the rights to comedy series The Big Door Prize from Schitt’s Creek writer and executive producer David West Read.
The All-Star Mac Bundle Featuring Parallels Pro: $35
We have a deal on the All-Star Mac Bundle, a collection of five Mac apps for contact Management, cyber security and VPN, PDF navigation, productivity, and it features Parallels Pro. The whole bundle is $49.99, but coupon code ALLSTARMAC at checkout brings it down to $35!
Firefox 89 Gets Design Overhaul and ‘Total Cookie Protection’ Feature
Mozilla has released Firefox version 89 on Tuesday, bringing a new design for desktop users and a privacy feature called Total Cookie Protection added to private browsing.
We’ve enhanced the privacy of the Firefox Browser’s Private Browsing mode with Total Cookie Protection, which confines cookies to the site where they were created, preventing companies from using cookies to track your browsing across sites. This feature was originally launched in Firefox’s ETP Strict mode.
More information on Total Cookie Protection can be found on Mozilla’s blog.
Tuesdays with Martellaro: iMac Purchasing – TMO Daily Observations 2021-06-01
John Martellaro joins host Kelly Guimont to chat about tips and options for purchasing a new machine, including John’s plans for a new iMac.
You Have One Week to Opt Out of Amazon’s ‘Sidewalk’ Network Service
Amazon Sidewalk is the company’s network mesh service that shares your internet bandwidth with Amazon devices. You must opt out by June 8 if you don’t want this because the setting is turned on by default.
The new wireless mesh service will share a small slice of your Internet bandwidth with nearby neighbors who don’t have connectivity and help you to their bandwidth when you don’t have a connection.
By default, Amazon devices including Alexa, Echo, Ring, security cams, outdoor lights, motion sensors, and Tile trackers will enroll in the system.
WWDC Media Preview — Media+
Chuck Joiner of MacVoices joins host Charlotte Henry to have a look ahead at WWDC 2021. How much will Apple’s media offering feature?
Reminder: You Can Charge AirPods With an iPhone 12 MagSafe Puck
If you have a MagSafe puck you got with an iPhone 12 or purchased separately, you can use it to charge your AirPods.
Postal Workers Targeted With Phishing Campaign
Postal workers returning to the office after COVID-19 restrictions may find themselves targeted by a new phishing campaign.
The email-based campaign, observed by Cofense, is targeting employees with emails purporting to come from their CIO welcoming them back into offices.
The email looks legitimate enough, sporting the company’s official logo in the header, as well as being signed spoofing the CIO. The bulk of the message outlines the new precautions and changes to business operations the company is taking relative to the pandemic.
The Apple TV App Now Available on Nvidia SHIELD
Starting on Tuesday, Nvidia SHIELD owners can use the Apple TV app to purchase or rent movies and TV shows, and access Apple TV+.
Coinbase Cards Can Now be Added to Apple Pay
People who have a Coinbase Card can add it to Apple Pay starting this week, the cryptocurrency exchange announced on Tuesday.
WWDC 2021: More Women Than Ever Enter and Win Swift Student Challenge
More young women than ever before both applied and have been victorious at the 2021 Swift Student Challenge and will attend WWDC.
Facebook-Funded Study Says iOS 14 Privacy Settings are Harmful
A paper that was recently posted to Social Science Research Network says that iOS 14’s App Tracking Transparency harms competition and consumers.
Meat Supplier JBS Hit With Cyber Attack, Data Not Affected
JBS SA shut down its computer networks for its operations in Australia and North America due to a cyberattack.
Backup servers were not affected, and the company is actively working to restore systems as soon as possible, according to a statement from JBS USA Monday. The processor said it’s not aware of any customer, supplier or employee data being compromised or misused.
How 'Cherry' Tries to Highlight the Veterans' PTSD
A new video, released on Memorial Day, explains how Cherry from Apple Original Films, Hideaway Entertainment, and AGBO looks to highlight the PTSD suffered by many veterans. As well as directors the Russo brothers and star Tom Holland, the clip features contributions from Timothy Wynn of the Philadelphia Veterans Court and IAVA CEO Jeremy Butler. The film itself is available to watch on Apple TV+ now.
Juice Jackers and Battery Drainers – Mac Geek Gab 873
Ever heard of Juice Jacking? Neither had John nor Dave. No problem, though, they dug in and found everything you needed to know. That’s the beauty of Mac Geek Gab, too: you ask the questions and then your two favorite geeks dig and see what they can find. Press play and learn at least five new things about battery draining, external drives, M1 displays, backups, and more!
In Observance of Memorial Day 2021
In honor of Memorial Day, a U.S. holiday, The Mac Observer will be taking the day off. We will resume our regular coverage of the Apple Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch world on Tuesday, June 1st. Please stay safe.