Tag: apple

New iOS 17.3 feature will keep a thief out of your iPhone and your banking apps
Now that Apple released iOS 17.2, the first iOS 17.3 developer beta has been released and includes a new feature that might frustrate iPhone thieves. Stolen Device Protection uses certain tools to prevent criminals from employing a stolen iPhone passcode to have the run of an iPhone that is at a location normally not associated with the owner of the device. If an iPhone is at such a location and Stolen Device Protection is enabled, the handset will require that Face ID or Touch ID be used before allowing certain actions to be made.

Actions that require either Face ID or Touch ID when an iPhone is in an unusual location include viewing passwords stored on the device and wiping the phone. A one-hour delay will be called for when creating a new Apple ID password. After the hour, Face ID or Touch ID will still be required to change the password. The delay is essentially buying time for the owner to report his phone stolen.

Apple adds another layer of biometric protection to the iPhone in iOS 17.3; Image Credit Beta Profiles.

Other actions that require biometric approval when Stolen Device Protection is enabled and an iPhone is away from the user’s usual locations include applying for an Apple Card, turning off Lost Mode, and accessing and using payment methods stored in Safari. If Face ID or Touch ID fails and Stolen Device Protection is enabled, the user cannot use his/her passcode to sign in.

The following actions will require Face ID or Touch ID when Stolen Device Protection is enabled:
- Viewing/using passwords or passkeys saved in iCloud Keychain
- Applying for a new Apple Card
- Viewing an Apple Card virtual card
- Turning off Lost Mode
- Erasing all content and settings
- Taking certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in Wallet
- Using payment methods saved in Safari
- Using your iPhone to set up a new device
The following actions require Face ID or Touch ID and the final action is delayed by one hour:
- Changing your Apple ID password
- Updating select Apple ID account security settings, including adding or removing a trusted device, trusted phone number, Recovery Key, or Recovery Contact
- Changing your iPhone passcode
- Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID
- Turning off Find My
- Turning off Stolen Device Protection
Stolen Device Protection is supposed to prevent a scam that starts when someone makes friends with an iPhone user or spies on one in order to obtain his/her passcode. Sometimes this is done by looking over the shoulder of the iPhone user or by asking to see a photograph and watching as the iPhone user unlocks his handset using his/her passcode.

The thief then steals the iPhone, enters the purloined passcode, resets the Apple ID password, disables Find My, performs a factory reset, and sells the device. A working iPhone is more valuable in the black market than one that is locked down; the latter device is generally sold for parts. Alternately, the thief could use the passcode to steal passwords for banking and other financial apps, email passwords, and more that are stored in the iCloud Keychain.

If Apple keeps the new feature in the final version of iOS 17.3, most iPhone users won’t get this feature until sometime early next year. If you installed the first developer beta of iOS 17.3, you can enable Stolen Device Protection by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection.
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December 13, 2023

Apple attempts to escape EU fine by offering to open its NFC technology for rivals

In an attempt to avoid a hefty fine and ongoing legal battle with the European Union, Apple is reportedly proposing to open up its near-field communication (NFC) technology, used for tap-and-go payments, to its rivals.

This move comes after the European Commission launched an antitrust investigation into Apple’s practices surrounding Apple Pay, suspecting that the company was unfairly restricting access to key technology to maintain its dominance in the mobile payment market.

Despite not holding the majority share of smartphone sales or being the dominant mobile payment service in the EU, Apple Pay has gained significant traction, with over 2,500 banks and more than 250 fintech and challenger banks across Europe using the service.

Apple’s efforts to address the EU’s concerns come amidst a broader crackdown on the company’s business practices. The EU recently labeled Apple as a “gatekeeper” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which empowers the Commission to regulate big tech firms that hold dominant positions in the digital market.

Earlier this year, Apple acknowledged the possibility of third-party app stores on iPhones but later challenged the EU’s ruling mandating rival app stores. Additionally, it has appealed the inclusion of iMessage in the DMA’s gatekeeper designation, arguing that iMessage’s market share in Europe is too small to warrant regulatory scrutiny, which actually might turn out to be true.

As Apple navigates these regulatory challenges, it’s clear that the company is facing increasing pressure to address concerns about its competitive practices in the EU. The proposed NFC access could be a step in the right direction. However, it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to appease the Commission and avoid further regulatory scrutiny.

December 13, 2023

Apple to move key iPad engineering resources to Vietnam

Apple is allocating product development resources for iPad to Vietnam, Nikkei reported on Friday, citing sources briefed on the matter.

Apple is working with China’s BYD, a key iPad assembler, to move new product introduction (NPI) resources to Vietnam, the report said, adding that this is the first time the company has shifted NPI resources to Vietnam for such a core device.

Engineering verification for test production of an iPad model will start around mid-February and the model will be available in the second half of next year, it said.

Apple and BYD did not immediately respond to Reuters’s request for comment.

Apple suppliers including Luxshare and Foxconn also invested in the Southeast Asian country earlier this year to further diversify production away from China.

December 11, 2023

Apple could be forced to use USB-C ports on older iPhone models in India

Just as the EU did with its common charger rule that led Apple to equip the iPhone 15 series with USB-C ports replacing the company’s proprietary Lightning ports, India added a similar rule of its own. But Reuters reports that Apple met with the country’s IT Ministry at the end of last month and during the closed-door meeting, Apple requested that some exemptions be added to the new common charger rules in the country. India’s new rule requires all electronic devices to charge USB-C by June 2025.

One part of the new rules would force Apple to replace the Lightning port on older iPhone models with a USB-C port and that is the issue that has Apple meeting with India’s IT Ministry. While the EU’s rule change only affected new iPhone models released after the rule takes effect in 2024, Apple decided that instead of having to change things up in the middle of the iPhone 15 release cycle, it would switch to USB-C starting with the release of the 2023 iPhone models last September.

India’s new rules, on the other hand, must be followed for all electronic devices sold in the country regardless of when a specific device was originally released. This would require Apple to change the charging and data transfer ports on older models it sells in India including the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and the iPhone 13. To Apple, this would be a hardship and would probably raise the prices of these models which would be a problem in a developing country like India.

Since the majority of iPhones sold in India are older models (again, due to India being a developing country), the common charger rule in India could hit Apple hard in India. Apple says that if it must make the changes to older iPhone models, the company won’t meet targets for India’s Production-Linked Incentive scheme (PLI). A pet project of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PLI gives manufacturers financial incentives for increasing production in India and making investments in the country.

December 6, 2023

Apple, Goldman Sachs partnership reportedly coming to an end

This past summer we told you that global investment banking firm Goldman Sachs, Apple’s partner in the Apple Card, was looking to exit the partnership. At the time, American Express was considered a possible replacement for Goldman Sachs. The Apple Card launched in August 2019 with no fees charged for late payments, going over the credit limit, or for an annual membership.

Account holders get 3% back on Apple Pay purchases made using the Apple Card at the Apple Store (both physical and online), the App Store, Uber and Uber Eats, Walgreens, Nike, Panera Bread, T-Mobile, ExxonMobil, and Ace Hardware. On purchases made from other retailers that accept the Apple Card via Apple Pay, customers get 2% cash back. The cashback amount belonging to each cardholder is tallied daily and can even be swept daily into an interest-bearing savings account.

Today, a person familiar with the situation told CNBC’s Leslie Picker that Apple has presented Goldman Sachs with a proposal that will dissolve the Apple-Goldman Sachs partnership within the next 12 to 15 months. This would force Apple to find a new financial partner to keep the popular Apple Card alive along with Apple’s high-yielding savings account. While Apple offers the card via its Wallet app, Goldman Sachs runs the operations’ back-end.

An Apple representative told CNBC today, “Apple and Goldman Sachs are focused on providing an incredible experience for our customers to help them lead healthier financial lives. The award-winning Apple Card has seen a great reception from consumers, and we will continue to innovate and deliver the best tools and services for them.” It isn’t clear whether Apple has a deal with a new partner although, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article, American Express was rumored in July to be interested in the business.

At the start of this year, a report said that Goldman Sachs had put aside $1.2 billion in loan-loss provisions for its consumer credit division covering the first nine months of 2022. These funds are put aside by a bank to cover debt that the bank believes will not be repaid. At the time, analysts said that the large increase in load-loss provisions was due to the Apple Card.

Goldman originally hoped to have its consumer credit division, which includes the Apple Card, hit the breakeven mark in 2022. But that has been pushed back until 2025. Last year, Wolfe Research analyst Bill Carcache said, “The Apple Card portfolio may generate lower revenues and face higher loss content relative to the industry average.”

If Goldman does want out, we’d expect Apple to announce a partnership with another firm fairly quickly. Stay tuned.

November 29, 2023

Apple Watch will get back a popular and useful feature in watchOS 10.2

When Apple released watchOS 10 it got rid of a handy feature that Apple Watch wearers loved. This feature allowed a user to switch the watch face on his timepiece by swiping on the display. The removal of this feature seemingly upset Apple Watch owners enough that Apple felt compelled to return it to the watchOS 10.2 beta 3. This comes from an “X” subscriber @aaronp613 who posted some code strings from the beta, including one that reads “Swipe to Switch Watch Face.”

To use this feature, once you have watchOS 10.2 beta 3 installed or once Apple releases watchOS 10.2, go to Settings > Clock. From there you can set which method of changing watch faces you prefer. So if you have watchOS 10.2 beta 3 on your Apple Watch, you can return this feature. If you don’t have the beta installed, you’ll have to wait until the release of the final version of watchOS 10.2, which will be pushed out later this year.

You can set up watch faces to swipe to by going to the Watch app on your iPhone, tapping the Face Gallery tab, and creating alternate watch faces. You can make several different watch faces for various occasions, including some functional faces with plenty of complications for the workday, a more formal watch face for upcoming holiday parties, and other watch faces for other events, including your workouts.

With a quick swipe, you can change your watch face to have a watch to fit any occasion without having to own more than on timepiece. By setting your Apple Watch to enable “Swipe to Switch Watch Face,” you can quickly go through the watch faces you’ve set up by swiping your Apple Watch display.

It isn’t clear why Apple decided to do away with the feature in the first place since swiping the screen in watchOS 10 doesn’t do anything. However, the company must have received enough feedback from Apple Watch users who are missing this quick and easy way to change the watch face on their smartwatch.

November 20, 2023

Apple stops advertising on “X” again

Citing its sources, Axios says that Apple has stopped advertising on the platform for the second time since Elon Musk purchased Twitter. This time the decision to stop spending ad money on what is now known as “X” came after Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory that was posted on the site. 164 Jewish rabbis and activists demanded that companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Disney stop advertising on “X”.

Apple, a major advertiser on “X,” has joined IBM, Disney, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, and Paramount Global. A report by Media Matters for America says that certain advertisers, including Apple, IBM, Amazon and Oracle, had their ads on “X” placed next to posts considered to be from far-right subscribers.

In response to a post on “X” that claimed Jewish communities support “dialectical hatred against whites,” Musk replied, “[y]ou have said the actual truth,” The comment by Musk drew a rebuke from the White House. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said, “It is unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of Antisemitism in American history at any time, let alone one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”

“X” CEO Linda Yaccarino responded to the criticism via a tweet in which she wrote, “X’s point of view has always been very clear that discrimination by everyone should STOP across the board — I think that’s something we can and should all agree on. Regarding this platform — X has also been extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination. There’s no place for it anywhere in the world — it’s ugly and wrong. Full stop.”

Musk purchased Twitter last year paying $44 billion for the social media platform. After changing the name of the site from Twitter to “X,” the multi-billionaire revealed plans to turn “X” into a multi-functional “super app” like China’s WeChat which offers social media capabilities along with mobile payment features. But if “X” is unable to keep some of its high-spending advertisers, it will need to find some new sources of income besides X Premium.

November 20, 2023

Purple star apple prices skyrocket

Purple star apples, popular both in Vietnam and its export markets, have seen prices rise by 30-40% from a year ago.

The fruit is in season and sells in markets and stores for VND90,000-100,000 (US$3.58-3.97) per kilogram for type 1 (the highest quality), a 40% increase from a year ago, and VND40,000-50,000 for types 2 and 3.

Oanh, who runs a fruit store on Pham Van Hai Street in HCMC’s Tan Binh District, said the star apples this year are bigger, of better quality and more eye-catching. “Every day I pick up 50 kilograms and sell them all. During holidays the demand is doubled, but there is not enough supply.”

According to Hanh, a wholesaler at the Thu Duc Agricultural Product Market, type 1 is in short supply. “Every day I procure more than one ton but it is not enough to supply wholesalers. Purple star apple is very scarce at the beginning of the season.”

A recent VnExpress survey of fruit farmers in Can Tho City and Soc Trang Province found that the highly sought-after fruit is 50% more expensive than last year at VND28,000-35,000 per kilogram.

Phong, who owns a half-hectare orchard in Can Tho Province, expects to make profits of VND250 million, double the previous season’s. “This year not only is there a bountiful purple star apple harvest, but the price is also skyrocketing.”

Similarly, farmers in Soc Trang Province, dubbed the “purple star apple capital” of western Vietnam, are overjoyed that exporters are buying their fruit at VND45,000 per kilogram. One-hectare orchards are making profits of VND500-700 million this year.

Su Quoc Loc, director of the Loc Mai Agriculture Cooperative, which specializes in the fruit, said export prices of fresh star apples are 13% higher from a year ago and domestic prices, 50%.

The cooperative’s members own 47 orchards that meet VietGAP quality standards, 60% of them more than one hectare.

Loc attributed the rising prices to increasing exports to the U.S. and China.

This year, instead of rushing to harvest, which leads to a spike in supply and fall in price, fruit growers have learned to stagger their harvest.

As a result, the star apple season, which usually lasts from November to January, could extend all the way to April. This method provides a more stable supply and maintains high prices.

Star apples are mainly being harvested in the Can Tho City and Tien Giang and Soc Trang provinces, according to data from the Plant Protection Department.

Tien Giang is notable with over 3,000 ha while Soc Trang Province has 2,300 ha, both with different varieties of star apple, such as purple, Lo Ren and pink butter.

The purple variety is highly valued due to its exquisite shape and is available year-round.

Star apple is exclusively a Vietnamese export and imported by China and the U.S., with prices paid by the latter reaching nearly VND500,000 per kilogram at one point.

November 15, 2023

Apple might be working on a custom battery

Battery life on the iPhone has been gradually improving since the iPhone 13 series, despite the latest iPhone 15 series not bringing significant upgrades in the battery department, as you can see in our dedicated piece about iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max battery life and charging speeds. However, Apple might have something in mind, as new rumors suggest.

Apple is rumored to be working on a custom in-house battery design. The company is exploring alternative cathode materials to enhance the overall performance of the battery module, to extend the battery life of its future products released after 2025.

The report suggests that Apple is actively considering increasing the silicon content inside the battery, moving away from the conventional use of graphite as the anode material in lithium-ion batteries. Graphite’s unique properties make it an ideal choice, efficiently storing and releasing electrical energy, ensuring reliable and long-lasting battery performance in mobile devices.

While a silicon-based approach could potentially improve overall battery capacity and reduce charging times, there is a challenge—silicon tends to expand during the charging process. However, Apple seems to have found a solution to mitigate this issue.

Rumors about Apple developing its own next-gen batteries date back to 2019. In fact, even before that, the company has been collaborating with suppliers to introduce innovative battery solutions, such as the space-saving, L-shaped battery in the iPhone XS.

By bringing battery development in-house, Apple gains more control over the design and construction of its products. The company claims that it regularly audits its suppliers to ensure they are meeting its high standards.

And what are its high standards, you may wonder? Apple has ambitious environmental goals, aiming to make every Apple product with 100% clean energy by 2030. This commitment requires all suppliers to transition to electricity generated from solar, wind, and other renewable sources. Additionally, Apple envisions creating products using only recycled and renewable materials. In a recent pledge, the company aims to use 100% recycled cobalt in all ‘Apple-designed’ batteries by 2025.

Whether the rumored custom Apple battery will actually happen and whether the company will stick to its goals is still up in the air.

November 7, 2023

Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple TV+ get more expensive

In an unsurprising move, Apple confirmed this week that it has increased the prices of three of its subscription-based services: Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple TV+.

Apple didn’t really offer any reason for the price hikes, but it’s probably related to global inflation. Not to mention that just about every streaming service in the United States announced price increases in the last couple of months.

We are focused on delivering the best experiences possible for our customers by consistently adding high-quality entertainment, content, and innovative features to our services.

That being said, if you’re living in the United States, here is how much you’ll have to pay for either of the three services mentioned above:

Apple TV+: $9.99 per month (was $6.99)
Apple Arcade: $6.99 per month (was $4.99)
Apple News+: $12.99 per month (was $9.99)

It’s also worth mentioning that customers who’d rather subscribe to Apple TV+ on an annual basis will now have to pay $99 per year instead of just $69.

Customers who are paying for all three services via the Apple One bundle are not excluded from the price increases. All Apple One bundles are now more expensive as you can see below:

Individual: $19.95 per month (was $16.95)
Family: $25.95 per month (was $22.95)
Premier: $37.95 per month (was $32.95)

If you’re living in Europe, MacGeneration has all the new prices for Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple TV+. The price changes should take effect immediately for new customers, while current subscribers will have 30 more days to decide whether or not they wish to continue to pay for any of Apple’s services.

October 27, 2023

Apple releases watchOS 10.1 to fix the Weather app

If you’re one of those people who have multiple weather apps installed on your phone and smartwatch and love to tell others when a warming trend is on the way (“It’s going to be 78 tomorrow. 78! In late October! Can you believe it!!!”), then you might be my twin. Seriously though, Apple Watch owners who use their timepieces to check on the weather were having an issue in watchOS 10 that came out of nowhere like a mid-afternoon rain shower.

The issue prevented a complication (which is any function on a watch that does something other than tell you the time) from showing you any weather-related data when the app is set to your current location instead of a specific city. For example, let’s say you live in Kalamazoo, Michigan and you set your Apple Watch to show you the weather in whatever city you’re currently at. With watchOS 10, the bug will prevent you from seeing any weather data from the current location setting. But if you set the weather app to give you the weather specifically in Kalamazoo, it works perfectly.

We can understand setting the weather for the current location because it would normally show you the weather conditions for any place you might travel to without having to add a location to the settings. Even if you drive a few miles to the next city over, the weather could be different and with that setting enabled, the Apple Watch will automatically adjust. Or at least it will once you exterminate the bug by installing watchOS 10.1 which was disseminated by Apple yesterday.

To install the app, connect your watch to Wi-Fi and the charger. From the watch go to Settings > General > Software Update. If the update is available, make sure your watch is charged to at least 50% and tap on Install.

Apple says that if the update does not solve the issue, from your phone go to Settings > Weather and disable Location Access and then enable it. again. And if that doesn’t work, you will need to reset all location data by going from your phone to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. Tap on Reset and then Reset Location & Privacy. Enter your passcode and reset. Hopefully, one of these steps will take care of the problem.

The update also adds support for the double tap gesture on the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Tapping your index finger with your thumb twice will answer a call, play and pause streaming music, stop a timer and more.

NameDrop is now available to the Apple Watch with the update. Bring your Apple Watch near an iPhone running iOS 17 or an Apple Watch SE 2, Apple Watch Series 7 or later, or an Apple Watch Ultra, and you’ll exchange contact information with someone new. My Card is a complication on the Apple Watch that will give users quick access to NameDrop.

October 27, 2023

Apple hints update is coming to fix flickering Watch display issues and more

Complaints from the Apple Community webpage and Reddit indicate that some Apple Watch users are having issues with the displays on their timepieces. Judging from the posts, it would appear that the screens on the affected units are flickering when the user raises his/her wrist to fully light up the display when in Always On mode. Another issue being investigated by Apple is one where complications on certain Apple Watch models turn pink when the user’s wrist is raised.

One Reddit subscriber noted that the flickering issue occurs when a timer is running or the Modular Ultra face is being used. Other complaints sound like this one from an Apple Community subscriber who wrote, “It’s not just you. Series 9 on 10.0.2 here, I’m experiencing the same issue. Split second of screen flickering when raising to wake from AOD. It only happens sometimes, but enough to the point that it bugs me.”

Based on the posts, it would seem that the flickering issue and the pink complications have been spotted on the new Series 9 watches as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The bug continues to appear even after the latest version of watchOS, 10.0.2, is installed. Apple is expected to release the public version of watchOS 10.1 next week, which might contain a fix that exterminates the bugs.

In fact, Apple even hinted that an update to fix the problem is on the way. In a memo, Apple told service providers not to repair impacted watches and instead, tell customers that they should keep the software on their Apple Watch up to date. That certainly sounds like Apple is expecting to release a software update soon that will fix the flickering on the Apple Watch screens as well as the color change to the complications on certain watch faces.

Apple says that users can disable the Always On display as a temporary workaround to fix the flickering. Press the Digital Crown until you see the home screen. From there, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and toggle off the Always On mode. With the Always On display enabled, the screen dims when the user’s wrist is down and gets brighter when the wrist is raised. This is the point when the flickering shows up.

October 19, 2023

Apple could be introducing three new iPad models this coming Tuesday

Many assumed that after unveiling the new iPhone 15 series, the Apple Watch Series 9, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 last month, we wouldn’t be seeing Apple release any more hardware in 2023. But there could be one last squeeze of the toothpaste tube left by the gang in Cupertino resulting in an announcement that would reveal three new iPad tablets, according to Supercharged. We could also see a new Apple Pencil with USB-C charging.

The report cites a source “familiar with Apple’s media plans” who says that this Tuesday, October 17th, Apple will introduce a new entry-level iPad, an M2-powered iPad Air, and a new iPad mini. The entry-level iPad would be the 11th generation model replacing the 10th generation iPad which was announced in October 2022. The new iPad Air should come with an upgrade in the form of a faster M2 chip. The previous iPad Air, the first to use an M-series chip, was announced in March 2022.

The new iPad Air, rumored to be announced this Tuesday, will supposedly be powered by a powerful M2 Apple Silicon chip.

Also rumored to be announced on Tuesday is the iPad mini 7 which could be powered by the A16 Bionic chipset, the same one that currently is used to run the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models. Additionally, the new iPad mini 7 will do away with the “jelly scrolling” flaw that causes the left side of the screen to lag while the right side moves at a normal pace. All three tablets are expected to receive minor boosts in specs.

Apple is not expected to put on a big show for the release of the new iPads as an announcement will be made by the company on YouTube and through its newsroom site. If you hope the announcement will include a new iPad Pro, you’re early. The OLED iPad Pro models are expected to become official during the second half of 2024.

This makes sense since Apple’s Vision Pro spatial computer will dominate the first half of the year. We expect the new iPad Pro model to be offered with an 11-inch and a 13-inch display.

Ever since the pandemic ended, tablet sales have dropped. Apple saw a surge in iPad sales when many worked from home and students attended virtual classes. Perhaps an injection of fresh new iPad models will stimulate Apple’s tablet sales.

October 16, 2023

Update to iOS 17.1 brings an important change to the Action Button

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have the new Action Button above the volume rocker that replaced the Mute switch. With the new Pro models, the Action Button can be set to have a certain action take place when the button is pressed. To customize the button, the user goes to Settings > Action Button. The first Action that you can set the button to do is to act as a Silent mode switch that turns the Silent mode on or off which is exactly what the Mute switch used to do.

Swipe to the left once and you get the next option, Focus, which silences notifications and filters out distractions. Other options appear as you swipe to the left including the ability to tap the button and open the camera, turn on the flashlight, start and stop recording a voice memo, use your phone as a magnifying glass, activate your favorite shortcut, use an accessibility feature, or have the Action Button take no action when pressed. When you find the Action option you want, just leave the appropriate icon showing on the image of the Action Button on the screen and leave the page.

Cde discovered by 9to5Mac in iOS 17.1 beta 3, which was released to developers today, reveals that Apple is making a change to the Action Button. When the phone, using the proximity sensors, detects that it is in your pocket, the Action Button will require a longer press to activate. This prevents the feature from accidentally getting activated when the iPhone is inside your pocket.

There is no setup required for the new feature to work and it will be automatically enabled for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users as soon as they install iOS 17.1 (once it is released). An accidental “pocket” activation of the Action Button on an iPhone 15 Pro series model could set off a shortcut that you’ve created that might disable the ringer, for example, turn off other features of the phone without you knowing, share your location and even share the last image you snapped.

October 11, 2023

Dutch competition regulator rejects Apple’s objections to $53 million in fines

Apple may be the favorite phone brand in the Netherlands, but the Dutch regulators lately think little of the iPhone makers.

The Cupertino giant has faced rejection from the Dutch competition regulator ACM (Authority for Consumers and Markets). Apple objected to fines that currently add up to $53 million, but the Dutch ACM is adamant on the issue.

Internally, this “objection-rejection” thing has been known from July 13, 2023, when ACM decided to say “No!” to Apple’s objections, but it has only now been published.

Apple is ready to take this to court: “We disagree with the ACM’s original order, which degrades investment incentives and is not in the best interests of our users’ privacy or data security. As the ACM has denied our administrative appeal, we will appeal to the Netherlands courts”, Apple told Reuters.

The ACM vs. Apple beef in the Netherlands is a long-standing dispute over… dating apps in the App Store. The problem Dutch authorities saw in the way Apple was conducting its business was due to it not allowing alternative payment systems for Dutch dating apps. That’s all they wanted – an alternative payment system to be allowed on the App Store, because Dutch people were not happy with the commission fee that the App Store takes on purchases.

The ACM says that Apple has now complied with “most of its demands”, but there’s an additional – undisclosed one – that they haven’t complied with.

It’s still unknown what’s the character of that final order that Apple failed to comply with, but the ACM regulator has promised to publish details should it win in court.

October 3, 2023