Claris completed its SOC 2 Type II audit and ISO credentials for FileMaker Cloud and its automation platform, Claris Connect.
Apple
Apple Delays Return to Office Indefinitely
Apple has delayed its return to the office once again until a “date yet to be determined” due to the onset of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Department of Labour to Investigate Allegations Apple Retailiated Against Whistleblower Ashley Gjovik
The U.S. Department of Labor is set to investigate allegations that Apple retaliated against whistleblower Ashley Gjovik.
Apple's Jeremy Butcher talks Apple Business Essentials – Mac Geek Gab 905
Apple recently announced-and-released the beta of their new MDM solution, Apple Business Essentials. Today we have Jeremy Butcher, Enterprise and Education Product Marketing Manager at Apple here to help us answer our questions about exactly what Apple Business Essentials can do for us and how it all works in a real-world setting. Press play and enjoy learning five new things about Apple Business Essentials!
Poland Probes Apple's App Tracking Transparency Privacy Feature
Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) is investigating Apple over its private feature App Tracking Transparency (ATT).
Smarthome Tech Matter(s), Crypto in a Down Market, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 563
Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet dig into Matter, the smarthome platform that should make it easier for devices to work all the major smarthome platforms. They also talk about cryptocurrencies in a down market, and how and why Bryan is interested only in long-term prospects and possibilities.
Microsoft Tried Compromising with Apple to Bring Game Pass to App Store
In an effort to bring Xbox Game Pass to the iOS App Store, Microsoft tried compromising with Apple. Apple reportedly refused to budge.
Apple Store in Southlake, Texas Closes Amidst Following Covid Outbreak
An Apple Store in Southlake, Texas has temporarily closed its doors following a Covid outbreak amongst the staff.
Apple's US$275 Billion China Deal Faces Criticism
Details of Tim Cook’s personal interventions with officials in China and a US$275 billion deal signed in order to do business there have been revealed.
Does Apple Have Too Much Control Over Your iPhone?
Recode is working on a series that examines Big Tech and antitrust. Sara Morrison covers Apple in the first installment, asking “How much control should Apple have over your iPhone?” One paragraph in particular grabbed my attention:
In her book Monopolies Suck, antitrust expert Sally Hubbard described Apple as a “warm and fuzzy monopolist” when compared to Facebook, Google, and Amazon, the other three companies in the so-called Big Four that have been accused of being too big. It doesn’t quite have the negative public perception that its three peers have, and the effects of its exclusive control over mobile apps on its consumers aren’t as obvious.
iOS 15.2 Lets Users View iPhone Parts and Service History
As of iOS 15.2, consumers will be able to view their iPhone parts and service history straight in the Settings app.
Morgan Stanley Sets US$200 Target Price For AAPL - Cites Apple Car, AR/VR
Morgan Stanley has set AAPL a US$200 price target. In a note seen by AppleInsider, the bank cited Apple’s expected moves into cars and AR/VR as the reasons for this price hike.
Lead analyst Katy Huberty said that the bank is cautious on IT hardware heading into 2022 but noted that Apple should benefit from “a light to quality,” driven by new products being priced-in, as well as the iPhone and App Store Huberty points out that Apple shares don’t appear to bake-in the impact of new products. She points out that Apple is developing products aimed at both the AR/VR and self-driving car markets, and the new price target reflects that. “Today, we know that Apple is working on products to address two significantly large markets – AR/VR and Autonomous Vehicles – and as we get closer to these products becoming a reality, we believe valuation would need to reflect the optionality of these future opportunities,” she wrote.
iPhone 13 And Apple Watch Carrier Rebate Wrangles
A significant number of customers have reportedly found it difficult to get an expected rebate back from carriers on various products, including the iPhone 13 and Apple Watch. One of those was Bloomberg News’s Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, he described the issue and the various ways some people had resolved it., which is likely to be useful to others.
My struggles with the rebates process started with the Apple Watch. I had purchased the Apple Watch Series 7, which came out in October, and submitted a request to T-Mobile for its $100 rebate. Several weeks after my submission, to my surprise, T-Mobile’s promotion website said that my claim was denied because the product wasn’t activated during the promotion window. This, of course, was false. Multiple hourlong phone calls with T-Mobile customer service didn’t resolve the situation, nor did messages sent to the company’s support team over Twitter. Ultimately, the issue was only fixed after talking to T-Mobile at the corporate level. We figured out that my rebate was denied because the fine print of the deal—depending on how you read it—requires the opening of an entirely new phone number.
The Struggles Faced by Apple's Hourly Workers
We’ve heard lots recently from Apple whistleblowers like Ashley Gjovick and Cher Scarlett, and the broader #AppleToo movement. But the conversation tends to focus on the company’s corporate staff. The Verge has a very powerful and distressing report, containing allegations about what it’s like for those who work in places like the Apple Store.
Over the past five months, Apple’s hourly workforce has been watching as corporate employees advocate for more pay transparency. Some have organized with employees in Cupertino under the banner #AppleToo, to call for better working conditions. Others are just now beginning to speak out — realizing that the issues their well-compensated corporate colleagues are experiencing could be greatly exacerbated on the frontlines. The Verge spoke with 16 current and former employees on Apple’s retail, support, and sales teams who say their complaints about working conditions and pay have largely been ignored. Some say they are governed more by algorithms and systems than actual managers, making it difficult to get holistic help. All of them note that while they came into the job believing in Apple’s mission, they see a profound breakdown in how the company’s corporate values translate to the frontlines.
How Caregivers in Ghana Help Their Community During a Pandemic
To go along with its announcement for World AIDS Day, Apple shared the story of Model of Hope program in Ghana.
Joseph is one of 13.8 million people who has access to ART as a result of Apple’s contributions to the Global Fund’s efforts in Africa, and he sees the effect COVID-19 is having on those he counsels through the Model of Hope program.
Apple Sales in Turkey Resume with Hiked Prices
Apple sales in Turkey have resumed, with price increase. Apple paused Turkish sales last week during the ongoing economic crisis.
Last Day of Apple's Black Friday - Cyber Monday 2021 Event
Today is the last day to access Apple’s Black Friday – Cyber Monday event, which takes place from November 26 through November 29.
Adele's Shuffle Challenge and Apple's Stand on State-Sponsored Spyware, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 562
Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet talk about Adele’s desire that we not shuffle her albums. They also look at Apple’s public stand against state-sponsored spyware.
Italian Regulator Hits Apple, Google, With Fine Over Data Use
Italy’s antitrust regulator announced on Friday that it has issued Apple and Google with fines of €10 million ($11.2 million) each.
'Apple Should Have Bought Tesla' Says High-Profile Money Manager
Cathie Wood, a high-profile money manager at Ark Invest, said “Apple should have bought Tesla” when they had an opportunity to do so.
Apple Begins to Alert Victims of NSO Group's Pegasus Spyware
On Tuesday Apple revealed it is suing NSO Group for its Pegasus spyware that attacks iPhone users. TechCrunch writes that the company has begun alerting victims.
The alerts — which Apple says are designed to inform and assist users who may have been targeted by state-sponsored attackers — were also sent to a number of users in El Salvador. This includes 12 employees from El Faro, an online digital newspaper that has been notoriously critical of the government, as well as two leaders of civil society organizations and two opposition politicians.
Cast of 'The Office' Reveal How The iPod Video Helped Save The Show
Mashable writes how cast members of hit TV show The Office say that Apple, along with the iPod video, helped propel the show to stardom.
“It was young people with their iPods who knew how to set up an iTunes account because their parents didn’t,” Rainn Wilson said. “I think that blindsided everybody, including NBC, that we would be so popular with young people. The fact that we’re most popular with 22 to 25 year olds is really astonishing…”
Tim Cook Talks New 'The Grove' Retail Store in Los Angeles
Apple’s latest retail store at The Grove in Los Angeles opened recently, and Tim Cook briefly spoke of the update in an interview.
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.