Killing the Lighting Port, Buying into Apple Watch Series 4 - ACM 477

What would it take for Apple to ditch the Lightning port on iPhones? Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet explore the possibilities, and Bryan ends up convincing himself to buy Apple’s not-shipping-yet AirPower charging pad. They also ask themselves what it would take for them to want Apple Watch Series 4, iPhone Xs, new iPad Pros, and new MacBooks. Their conclusion? It’s going to be an expensive fall.

You can Make Kerala Flood Relief Donations in iTunes

The devastating floods in Kerala left a million people at least temporarily homeless, and 445 dead with more bodies being discovered. Over 50,000 houses were destroyed, and more than 6,200 miles of roads have been lost. Apple donated US$1 million to the relief fund, and you can help out, too. Apple added Mercy Corps donation buttons to the iTunes Store ranging from US$5 to $200. Like other relief funds Apple has supported, 100% of the money goes to the charity—Apple doesn’t take its usual 30% cut.

Verizon's $2, Apple's Newest Football, Netflix's Rebellion - ACM 476

Verizon recently throttled a fire department’s command and control vehicle in a pursuit of $2, and Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet have some thoughts about the propriety of such an action. They also wonder whether rumors of a new iMac mean we can start trusting Apple to update its Macs again, or if Lucy will just yank the ball away instead. They cap the show with a look at Netflix’s baby steps towards rebellion against Apple’s App Store cut for subscriptions.

Tim Cook Donates More than 23,000 of His Apple Shares to Charity

Apple CEO Tim Cook has donated some 23,215 shares of Apple stock to an unnamed charity, according to an SEC filing uncovered by BusinessInsider. Shares of $AAPL closed at 215.04 on Tuesday, making the value of this donation worth some $4.99 million dollars today. Of course, that value will change over time, and the dividend for those shares will earn the charity $16,947 every quarter. That’s a gift of $67,788 per year that keeps on giving, and it could grow if Apple continues to increase that dividend. In other words, it’s a princely gift from a man who has already promised to give away all his wealth (after providing for the education of his young nephew).