Category: Apple Insider

The order, which follows weeks of threats to ban the popular video app from the U.S., will essentially force ByteDance to divest from TikTok or stop operating in the country.

In the order, the White House claims that the spread of Chinese-owned apps in the U.S. “continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.” The order then singles out TikTok and says “action must be taken to address” its threats.

Citing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the order will prohibit any transaction with ByteDance and would place sanctions on any company found to be violating it. It will take effect in 45 days after its release or on Sept. 20, whichever comes first.

Previously, Trump said TikTok would need to end its operations in the U.S. if an American company, such as Microsoft, did not purchase it.

Although Apple was said to have expressed interest in acquiring ByteDance, the Cupertino tech giant later refuted those rumors. Currently, Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy TikTok — a move that Trump approved of Thursday.

According to The Verge, Trump also signed a parallel order applying the same ban on Tencent, the Chinese-based owners of WeChat.

The president has also stated that a significant portion of the money from the deal should go to the U.S. Treasury, a move that China and some experts are cautioning against.

The nine-minute “Shot on iPhone” short film, titled “The Stunt Double,” is described as a “journey through cinema history.” As mentioned, it was shot completely vertically — or in “portrait orientation” — by Chazelle, an Academy Award-winner who is known for films such as “Whiplash” and “La La Land.”

“Watch as classic genres are flipped on their side, from action movies to silent films, spy flicks to westerns, reframing and modernizing the movie magic we know and love,” Apple wrote.

Alongside the short film, Apple also released a behind-the-scenes clip showing off how Chazelle used iPhone 11 Pro features like extended dynamic range and the ultra-wide-angle lens to create a cinematic feel.

Along with Chazelle, the behind-the-scenes short also features director of photography Linus Sandgren, production designer Shane Valentino and costume designer April Napier, among others.

Apple regularly shares photographs and videos as part of its “Shot on iPhone” campaign, but Chazelle’s contribution is the first to be shot solely in a vertical aspect ratio.

Look Around, first introduced in iOS 13 version of Apple Maps, is a rival to Google’s Street View that lets users explore various cities from an on-the-ground perspective.

On Tuesday, Apple quietly introduced four new cities in Japan to Look Around, including Kyoto, Nagoya and Osaka. The four Japanese cities mark the first time that Apple has expanded Look Around internationally.

Twitter user @Kanjo first spotted the feature being rolled out in Tokyo earlier on Tuesday. As of writing, it doesn’t appear that Look Around for Tokyo is live for users in the U.S.

The feature initially launched in Cupertino, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Francisco, California; and Honolulu, Hawaii. Since its debut, Apple has added support for 11 U.S. cities in total.

Although Apple didn’t announce the new Look Around additions, its website does note that it has been collecting pedestrian-level image data across Japan since March 2020.

Users should now be able to Look Around the four Japanese cities simply by searching them in Apple Maps on devices running iOS 14.

When iOS 14 debuts this fall, users will for the first time be able to replace Apple’s default Safari and Mail apps with third-party options. Developers must adhere to Apple’s rules to be eligible for consideration as an alternative.

Detailed in a support document, spotted by MacStories’ Federico Viticci on Monday, Apple’s guidelines note third-party apps must meet certain criteria before being considered as system defaults.

As it applies to web browser apps, eligible titles must meet functional benchmarks, provide adequate user privacy and ensure proper access to internet resources, Apple says. Apps must specify HTTP and HTTPS schemes in its Info.plist file and can’t use UIWebView. On launch, the app must provide a text field for entering a URL, search tools or a “curated” list of bookmarks, the docuemnt reads.

When opening a URL, a default app must “navigate directly to the specified destination and render the expected web content.” One exception to that rule is support for parental control or “locked down” modes that restrict web navigation.

Third-party apps can also present a “Safe Browsing” or other warning when online content is suspected of phishing or other safety issues. Apps with proper entitlements are unable to respond to Universal Links for specific domains, Apple says, adding that the special links can be opened to other apps.

To protect users, browsers will be rejected if they are found to be illicitly accessing photo files, location (including always-on location access), HomeKit databases, or health databases. Apps that poll for Bluetooth devices while running in the background will also be denied.

Mail apps must follow a relatively short list of directives that includes correct scheme specification in a plist file and the ability to send and receive messages from any valid email recipient. Apple notes that apps can implement user-controlled mail screening features, like those offered by Basecamp’s new Hey email service.

Major third-party web and email apps are expected to integrate requirements to achieve default status in time for a debut alongside iOS 14 this fall.

Prefer less expensive AirPods 2? Check out the best AirPods deals across the entire line, with prices starting at $129.

Latest Apple AirPods deals

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running additional exclusive discounts 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 protection plans, Office 365 and more. These offers are as follows:

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the slow return to normal is making it financially hard for some families, leading to some tough choices about bill payments. In a continuation of the established program by Apple and financial partner Goldman Sachs, Apple Card customers are able to avoid one outgoing cost for the month.

Apple Card users are now able to defer their August payment without incurring interest. To do so, they will need to talk to a financial representative to request entry into the scheme, or to extend any existing deferments.

The program continues a pattern of assistance Apple has offered from March until July, with August’s addition making it a total of six months of deferment for some customers.

1. On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.
2. Tap the “…” button
3. Tap Message
4. Type “I want to enroll in the Customer Assistance Program.”
5. Tap the send button

The deferment program is one of a number of initiatives Apple has put in place to assist its customers with financial planning. Apple Card offers the ability to buy Apple products in installments, gives insights via the Wallet app on how a user may better use the card to avoid paying interest on their outstanding balance, and in June Apple launched a four-month “Path to Apple Card” credit coaching program.

At the hearing, lawmakers grilled the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google as part of an ongoing investigation into anticompetitive practices. Though Cook faced minimal questioning compared to his tech industry colleagues, House Judiciary Committee panel members did ask about App Store rules like Apple’s cut of in-app purchases and the removal of third-party parental control apps.

In his opening statement and during subsequent inquiry, Cook maintained that Apple applies fair and equal policies to all third-party developers marketing wares on the App Store.

“We treat every developer the same. We have open and transparent rules,” Cook said. “It’s a rigorous process because we care so deeply about privacy, and security, and quality. We do look at every app before it goes on, but those rules apply evenly to everyone.”

Cook denied that certain larger developers are favored over others.

In light of Cook’s testimony, developers this week spoke out against App Store policies, calling Apple’s practices restrictive and “unfair.”

Dustin Dailey, director of product management for Eturi, in an emailed statement to Business Insider, described Apple’s rules as “a moving target that is not evenly applied to everyone.” Eturi develops OurPact, one of the parental control apps that Apple removed as it clamped down on third-party apps using mobile device management technology.

“We are hopeful that Apple will recognize they are not the only developers capable of creating products with the user’s best interest in mind as it related to data privacy and security,” Dailey said. “And we hope Apple will put action behind their words and create a level playing field for everyone – themselves included.”

Apple removed a number of parental control apps from the App Store in 2019 citing privacy issues. As argued by Apple, MDM allows wide access to device functions and potentially sensitive data. The technology was designed for use in large-scale enterprise device deployments, not public-facing apps available on the App Store. As such, integration of MDM by screen monitoring and parental control apps was a violation of the company’s App Store guidelines.

The timing of the mass takedown raised concerns. At the time, Apple had recently rolled out a competing Screen Time device monitoring solution as part of iOS 12.

Justin Payeur, president and cofounder of National Education Technologies, which makes parental control app Boomerang, agreed with Dailey.

“To say that [the App Store] is a vibrant, competitive environment is just not true,” Dailey said. “We’ve all been, for lack of a better term, neutered by what Apple did.”

Both OurPact and Boomerang were allowed back onto the App Store, but the temporary ban caused significant, lingering harm to each business, the developers say.

Ben Volach, cofounder of Blix, in a statement to Business Insider said app makers want “a true level playing field.” Blix, which makes apps Followapp and BlueMail, filed suit against Apple in 2019, claiming the company infringed on granted IP with its “Sign in with Apple” secure login feature.

Basecamp co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson, perhaps the loudest voice in a cacophony of criticism leading up to this week’s hearing, decried Apple’s cut of App Store profits after attempting to skirt that model with the new Hey email app. Apple initially blocked updates to the app and threatened to remove the title because it lacked in-app purchase options.

“Apple’s App Store policy tortures language to carve out special deals and special treatment left and right. Reader apps that don’t read anything, straight up exemptions like class-room management software. It’s blatant discrimination, not all the same for all, Heinemejer Hansson said in a tweet Thursday.

Apple ultimately approved Hey after the company instituted a feature that allows users to create free trial accounts. When asked about Hey during questioning on Wednesday, Cook said, “Hey is in the store today and we’re happy that they’re there. I believe that they have a version of their product is for free and so they’re not paying anything on that.”

Finally, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney in an interview with Bloomberg on Friday called App Store policy “unfair.”

“Apple’s playing field is the most uneven in the history of technology products,” he said. “The advantages Apple gives itself through its control of the operating system — and they have rules that outright say you can’t compete with categories of Apple apps which we do as key to our platform.”

Sweeney previously condemned Apple’s practices in 2017 and again last week. The software firm, which develops Fortnite, attempted to bring its Epic Games Store onto iOS but failed due to Apple’s restriction against third-party app stores.

The month-end flash sale hosted by Woot is valid on July 31 only, and features discounts of $400 to $810 off 2019 13-inch MacBook Pros with Touch Bar. With the standard model normally retailing for $1,299, the special $899 deal offers substantial savings off the original price, along with free standard shipping for Amazon Prime members, making it a top MacBook Pro discount.

According to Woot, these models are refurbished by Apple, but do not come with an Apple warranty. Instead, the 2019 configs are backed by a 1-year Woot limited warranty and packaged in a generic white box. This allows for aggressive savings of $400 to $810 off original MSRP.

Compared to 2019 13-inch MacBook Pros in new condition, Woot’s prices on the refurbished units are $220 to $510 cheaper.

2019 13″ MacBook Pro discounts

• 2019 13″ MacBook Pro (1.4GHz, 8GB, 128GB, refurb): $899.99 ($400 off)
• 2019 13″ MacBook Pro (2.4GHz, 8GB, 256GB, refurb): $1,159.99 ($640 off)
• 2019 13″ MacBook Pro (2.4GHz, 8GB, 512GB, refurb): $1,189.99 ($810 off)

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running additional exclusive discounts 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 protection plans, Office 365 and more. These offers are as follows:

In 2016, Apple services chief Eddy Cue proffered a deal in which Amazon would share 15% of revenues generated by new subscribers who signed up for Prime Video through an in-app purchase. Apple typically takes a 30% share of App Store subscription revenue, with the figure dropping to 15% for paying customers who maintain a subscription for more than one year.

The proposal was detailed in email correspondence published by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee as produced evidence in a congressional hearing on big tech antitrust matters on Wednesday.

Cue in a memo to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos recapped an apparent meeting at which the two executives discussed terms of a deal that would see Prime Video debut on iOS and Apple TV. At the time, the lack of Prime Video on Apple’s set-top platform, a result of Bezos’ unwillingness to allow the service onto devices that competed with Amazon’s Fire TV boxes, was viewed by consumers as a platform shortcoming.

Along with a reduced 15% cut of subscriptions, Apple agreed to support integration with Siri and the then-new TV app for iOS, as well as incorporate Prime Video metadata for Siri and Spotlight searches. As part of the arrangement, Apple would take 15% of in-app processed subscriptions to “upsell” streaming services like Showtime, the email reads.

The finalized deal was never made public and it is unknown if terms of the agreement changed in the interim between Cue’s email and the tvOS launch of Prime Video in December 2017. It is assumed that Amazon took advantage of the offer, however, as details align with a 2017 report regarding the Prime Video tvOS app and a return of Apple TV products on Amazon.com.

Bloomberg reported on the release of Cue’s email on Wednesday.

The special arrangement calls into question claims made by Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives regarding the company’s App Store policies. In an opening statement at the Wednesday hearing, Cook said, “The App Store guidelines ensure a high-quality, reliable and secure user experience. They are transparent and applied equally to developers of all sizes and in all categories.” He added that the rules are “not set in stone.”

Cook doubled down on the stance during questioning, saying Apple “treats every developer the same.”

Located in Ratchaprasong, Bangkok, the outlet features a distinct all-glass design topped by a cantilevered “Tree Canopy” roof. Reminiscent of the circular, glass-supported pavilion situated above Apple Park’s Steve Jobs Theater, the design of Apple Central World is a first for Apple’s retail division.

The two-story building boasts a central spiral staircase that winds around a timber core, next to which a tube-like glass elevator shaft stands. A large video wall upstairs sits in front of the store’s Forum, while product displays span both floors. Business customers can receive special sales and support assistance in the store’s Boardroom. More than 130 new team members speaking 17 languages work at the location.

Visitors enter the store on either level, with the second floor offering access to the Skytrain and Bangkok’s largest shopping center. Like other Apple Stores, the new Thailand property boasts a large courtyard area with benches and foliage, in this case Terminalia trees.

“We are excited for visitors to discover this truly one-of-a-kind store in Ratchaprasong,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple SVP of Retail and People. “With our future Today at Apple sessions and a phenomenal team ready to welcome the community with exceptional service and support, we can’t wait for our customers to experience Apple Central World.”

Apple Central World is scheduled to open on Friday, July 31, at 10 a.m. The company notes standard Apple Store health and safety measures apply to the new outlet, meaning employees and visitors must wear masks, undergo temperature checks and participate in social distancing precautions.