Category: Apple Insider

Amazon Flex is the major retailer’s app-based service for on-demand deliveries, but one used by drivers who actually make the deliveries rather than customers. If a delivery is to be made for Amazon’s Prime Now, Amazon uses the app as a dispatch system, alerting potential drivers to a delivery that can be picked up and delivered.

According to a report from Bloomberg, some drivers savvy to how the system worked were able to secure more deliveries within the dispatch system than others, by hanging iPhones running the app on a tree near Whole Foods and Amazon depots that offer same-day deliveries.

By keeping the smartphones near to the depots in Chicago, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C. areas, this made the driver seem to be far closer and more immediately able to pick up the delivery than others, even if they were in reality miles away. As each delivery was worth $15 to the drivers, plus any tip, the competition led to some Flex drivers coming up with inventive ways to be picked.

Previously, this included hanging around in Whole Foods parking lots, though Amazon warned drivers away from such behavior in June. “Waiting in the parking lot or using the store Wi-Fi is not an effective way to increase one’s chances of seeing an instant offer,” Amazon said in a statement.

To combat the gaming of the system, Amazon has changed the way the app works, with one source familiar with the app claiming it only required a “few lines of code.” Though the actual changes were not revealed, it appears that Amazon didn’t simply create a dead zone around store locations to discourage phone-hanging and stalking the parking lot, as doing so would increase delivery times for consumers.

The AAPL share price closed at $120.96 at end of trading, up 0.066% on the day. Apple’s stock price hit a low of $111.17 in intra-day trading on Sept. 4, representing a 7.44% bleed since trading began.

Apple’s reclaiming of a $2 trillion valuation comes the day after it bled nearly $180 billion in market capitalization. On Thursday, Apple’s share price was down nearly 8% in intra-day trading amid a broad sell-off of tech stocks. It marked the worst day of trading for technology stocks since a coronavirus plunge in March, in which Apple saw a 12.5% drop.

According to MarketWatch, Apple’s plunge was the worst one-day loss in value for any company ever. Tech stocks led the self-off, and all three major indices showed major losses across other segments.

The dip Thursday follows several months of steady growth for the Cupertino tech company and several quarters of better-than-expected earnings. Apple became the first U.S. company to hit a $2 trillion valuation on Aug. 19, 2020. Apple’s share price is still up nearly 113% since a coronavirus-sparked low on March 23.

Apple’s current share price has been readjusted due to the recently completed four-for-one stock split on Aug. 31. The split gave each shareholder three additional shares for every one held, each at 25% of their original value.

While Tim Cook has said in front of the House of Judiciary that Apple supports human rights, the company has now formally stated its position in the form of its first-ever policy document on the topic. It comes after shareholders have pressured Apple, both in votes at shareholder meetings and via a petition.

“At Apple, we are optimistic about technology’s awesome potential for good,” says Cook in a statement at the start of the new document. “But we know that it won’t happen on its own. Every day, we work to infuse the devices we make with the humanity that makes us.”

The document, called “Our Commitment to Human Rights,” is 1,400-word pledge about how Apple treats people and the way it sees technology’s role in protecting human rights. It’s chiefly a description of principles, but does include some more specific details.

“Our approach is based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,” it says. “We conduct human rights due diligence to identify risks and work to mitigate them. We seek to remedy adverse impacts, track and measure our progress, and report our findings.”

“We believe that dialogue and engagement are the best ways to work toward building a better world,” it continues. “In keeping with the UN Guiding Principles, where national law and international human rights standards differ, we follow the higher standard. Where they are in conflict, we respect national law while seeking to respect the principles of internationally recognized human rights.”

Tim Cook’s quote at the start of Apple’s new policy document

Apple’s document does not give a reason for why it is being published now, but it does follow continued pressure from shareholders. According to Sondhya Gupta of the campaigning organisation SumOfUs, it has been published in order to beat Apple’s own September 5 deadline for shareholders to submit motions ahead of next year’s annual meeting.

She says that at the 2020 shareholders meeting, SumOfUs put forward a proposal against Apple’s alleged cooperation with Chinese censorship, and 40.6% of shareholders voted against Apple to support it.

“Apple’s adoption of a human rights policy is a breakthrough moment and we commend Apple for taking this first step,” says Gupta. “However, we still have questions about how the policy will be implemented and what oversight there will be.”

“We will continue to work alongside shareholders and human rights defenders in dialogue with Apple to ensure the company lives up to this responsibility,” she continued.

SumoOfUs has been petitioning Apple for at least eight years. A previous petition from the organization had to be reworded following a false claim about working conditions in factories making Apple products.

Apple has not as yet commented publicly about its new policy document.

Despite recently bringing the Apple TV app to selected 2018 television sets, LG has now reversed its decision about supporting HomeKit and AirPlay 2 on those models.

Previously, LG committed to adding support to smart TV models including its “SK” and “UK” LED sets, plus the “B8” through “Z8” OLED ones. The support was due to come by October 2020, but now a support representative has told a user that no such support is coming at all.

As spotted by MacRumors, this tweet dates from a week ago but is now being followed by complaints from owners of 2018 TV sets as the information spreads.

Reportedly, the initial promise on LG’s website was accompanied by references within support documents. However, those were allegedly removed shortly afterwards.

LG made no public announcement about reneging on the HomeKit or AirPlay 2 support and as yet has not commented beyond its one tweeted response.

The one-day only sale at Amazon-owned Woot features refurbished MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, ranging from 2015 model year notebooks all the way up to 2019 model year 15-inch MacBook Pros.

The condition of each config can be found on Woot’s individual product pages, with the entire sale selection at your fingertips here.

As with Woot’s daily deals, quantities may be limited with the offers ending at 10 p.m. Pacific.

Shoppers can also get a head start on Labor Day weekend deals at OWC, with the retailer knocking up to 70% off Beats, HomePods, AirPods, cables, docks and more. Sale prices start at just $0.88, with nearly 440 items to choose from.

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running additional exclusive specials on Mac hardware that will not only deliver the best Apple prices on many of the items, but also throw in bonus savings on AppleCare, Office 365 and more. These offers are as follows:

According to Bloomberg, the new Apple TV will benefit from a faster processor designed to improve the gaming experience.

In addition to beefier silicon, the set-top box is expected to ship with a new feature that helps users find the accompanying remote control. Described as similar to Find My iPhone, the function could in theory enable location of the accessory through sound or vibratory alerts. Alternatively, the feature might integrate a form of Apple’s rumored “AirTags” location tracking technology that uses UWB signals to locate Tile-like devices in augmented reality.

Apple last updated its Apple TV platform with Apple TV 4K in 2017. The current hardware is powered by an A10X Fusion chip for streaming high-resolution content and playing basic games. Current storage capacities are locked in at 32GB and 64GB, while the included Siri Remote controls the streamer through both physical touch and voice commands.

Today’s report fails to offer specifics on the coming hardware, though it does say the device could launch in 2021. Previous rumors support the claims, with leaker Jon Prosser in August saying the device will be powered by an A12Z chip and feature a new controller. Apple is also said to be working on a first-party gaming controller to support Apple Arcade.

First details of Apple’s planned specifications for its forthcoming Apple Silicon Macs have begun to emerge from sources within the supply chain. As well as details of the forthcoming MacBook, it’s claimed that Apple is developing its own GPU which may first appear in an iMac to be released in the second half of 2021.

The report claims that the new Apple Silicon MacBook will run on an Apple A14X processor, which is expected to used in the next iPad Pro models.

It’s possible that the reference to a MacBook instead of a MacBook Pro is generic and that the sources are simply describing any Mac laptop. However, those sources also specify that the device will have USB Type-C and weigh less than 1kg. It will provide a battery life of between 15 and 20 hours. For comparison, the last MacBook weighed less than a kilogram. The current MacBook Air weighs 1.29kg and the 13-inch MacBook Pro weighs 1.4kg.

The A14X processor design has reportedly been finalized and is expected to go into mass production at TSMC, using that firm’s 5nm process. It’s claimed that Apple has bought TSMC’s production capacity that was previously to be used by Huawei.

TSMC’s 5nm process is also said to be being used for a forthcoming Apple-designed GPU. The design for this is still being worked on but China Times says that it is progressing smoothly. It’s not clear whether all Apple Silicon Macs will gain this Apple GPU, but the publication says that a revised iMac launching in the second half of 2021 will.

Apple launched its seventh-generation iPad in September 2019, with it sporting a larger 10.2-inch Retina display and support for the full-size Smart Keyboard. In what could be an indicator for other products that may launch alongside the anticipated “iPhone 12” in September, schematics claiming to show the next iPad suggest it may gain another facelift.

The images published by 91Mobiles depict an iPad with a 10.8-inch display, which is said to correlate with other rumors and speculation about the model. To match the larger screen, Apple will also take advantage of the design language of the iPad Pro to make the bezels slim.

The change in bezel design would also mean the loss of Touch ID, as the images don’t seem to show a Home button at all. Another leaker on Thursday claimed it would have Touch ID on the power button, though the schematics also propose the tablet will have the requisite sensors in the bezel to be able to use Face ID.

The edges use the same flat design as the iPad Pro lineup rather than a more gradual curve. Towards the base are claimed to be a USB Type-C port for charging, four microphones, and dual speakers, though this last point could be Apple adding a second grille for design symmetry.

On the back, instead of a camera bump, it will apparently have the same single-camera setup as previous models. There is also seemingly no sign of the LiDAR element found on the Pro models.

There is also a claim that the back includes magnetic connectors, which the publication says would be for Magic Keyboard support.

The report claims the schematics show an eighth-generation iPad, but other rumors have also suggested it could be an iPad Air 4. As the third-generation iPad Air launched in March 2019, it remains a possibility that the schematics show that model instead.

The Cupertino tech giant on Friday followed through with a promise to shut down Epic’s developer account on Aug. 28. Epic attempted to block the action by filing a restraining order earlier this month, but a U.S. District Court denied that request on Monday.

In a statement to AppleInsider Friday, Apple confirmed that it had shut down the Epic developer account and that the game company would no longer be able to submit new apps or app updates to the App Store. “We are disappointed that we had to terminate the Epic Games account on the App Store,” Apple said.

We have worked with the team at Epic Games for many years on their launches and releases.

The court recommended that Epic comply with the App Store guidelines while their case moves forward, guidelines that they’ve followed for the past decade until they created this situation. Epic has refused.

Instead, they repeatedly submit Fortnite updates designed to violate the guidelines of the App Store. This is not fair to all the other developers on the App Store, and is putting customers in the middle of their fight.

We hope that we can work together again in the future, but unfortunately that is not possible today.

A search for the Epic Games developer account on Apple’s website turns up a blank web page and “Fortnite” is still absent from the App Store. Although users who have “Fortnite” installed on their phones can continue to play the game, they will not see any new content on the platform, nor will they be able to re-download the game if deleted.

Apple says Epic is directing Fortnite customer complaints to AppleCare, a move that is causing problems with refund processing and general support services, reports CNBC.

On Thursday evening, Epic Games began sending emails directly to iOS and macOS users claiming Apple was the sole reason it could no longer issue “Fortnite” updates.

“Epic lowered prices through a direct payment option, but Apple is blocking Fortnite in order to prevent Epic from passing on the savings from direct payments to players,” the company said in the email.

The “Fortnite” maker originally baited Apple into removing the battle royale title from the App Store by implementing a feature that was a direct violation of Apple’s developer guidelines. The move a strategic effort, combined with a lawsuit and a marketing campaign, that sought to protest Apple’s 30% cut of in-app purchases.

In her ruling Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied Epic’s request for a temporary restraining order, citing the facts that it was not suffering “irreparable harm” and that it was in a situation “of its own making.”

Judge Rogers did bar Apple from shutting down a separate developer account used to maintain the Unreal Engine, however. The Unreal Engine is a platform used by many gaming applications, including Apple-highlighted “Fortnite” competitor PUBG.

Update: Epic CEO Tim Sweeney responded to Apple’s decision in a tweet Friday, saying, “Apple’s statement isn’t forthright. They chose to terminate Epic’s account; they didn’t *have* to. That’s not so. Epic submitted three Fortnite builds: two bug-fix updates, and the Season 4 update with this note.” The note informs Apple of a submitted Fortnite build that includes current Season 4 content, but also continues to offer Epic’s direct payment system in violation of App Store guidelines.

The social network in a statement to Reuters said it attempted to inform users of the App Store commission as it pertains to a new feature that allows small businesses to host paid online events.

“Now more than ever, we should have the option to help people understand where money they intend for small businesses actually goes. Unfortunately Apple rejected our transparency notice around their 30% tax but we are still working to make that information available inside the app experience,” Facebook said.

Facebook in August announced a new paid event tool that enables influencers and small businesses to offset revenue shortfalls caused by the coronavirus pandemic. To further assist users, Facebook is not collecting a cut of purchases processed through the platform. It asked Apple to do the same by waiving the App Store’s 30% fee for in-app purchases, but the iPhone maker refused.

In response, Facebook publicly condemned the action and resolved to notify users of Apple’s decision by displaying an in-app message detailing App Store commission rates. It also planned to tell users that Facebook is not collecting fees on purchases. Neither notification is currently present in the app, according to the report.

According to Facebook, Apple blocked the message by invoking an App Store clause that restricts developers from displaying “irrelevant” information to users.

Facebook joins a chorus of developers critical of App Store policy. Epic Games, perhaps the most prominent voice calling for change, is embroiled in a heated legal row over App Store fees and rules that prohibit third-party app stores. The gaming firm launched a private antitrust suit against Apple earlier this month, and this week won a temporary restraining order blocking Apple from following through with threats to remove its developer account.