Lit Apple Mac, iPhone, iPad User Group

[sultrysandy]

WSJ profile of Tim Cook offers new insight into the life and leadership style of the

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WSJ profile of Tim Cook offers new insight into the life and leadership style of the Apple CEO

A new profile from The Wall Street Journal offers an inside look at how Apple has evolved under the leadership of CEO Tim Cook. The report highlights the differences in leadership between Cook and Steve Jobs, including Cook’s more hands-off approach to product engineering and design.

The profile emphasizes that Cook kept a lot of his routine the same when he took over as Apple CEO in 2011:

From when he took over in 2011, Mr. Cook followed the advice of his predecessor: Don’t ask what I would do. Do what’s right. He continued waking up each morning before 4 a.m. and reviewing global sales data. He maintained his Friday meeting with operations and finance staff, which team members called “date night with Tim” because they stretched hours into the evening. He seldom visited Apple’s design studio, a place Mr. Jobs visited almost daily

Citing Cook’s colleagues and acquaintances, the report describes the Apple CEO as “a humble workaholic with a singular commitment to Apple.” He is said to keep his calendar clear of personal events, painting the picture of a relatively lonesome position — which is something Cook has even said himself in the past.

An anecdote from the WSJ profile explains:

Around Thanksgiving two years ago, guests saw him dining by himself at the secluded Amangiri Hotel near Zion National Park. When a guest later bumped into him, he said he came to the hotel to recharge after a hectic fall punctuated by the rollout of Apple’s latest iPhone. “They have the best masseuses in the world here,” he said, the guest recalls.

Current and former employees cited in the piece say that Cook has “created a more relaxed workplace” than the environment created under Steve Jobs. Nonetheless, Cook is “similarly demanding and detail-oriented.” The report points to a specific example when Apple “mistakenly shipped 25 computers to South Korea instead of Japan.” Cook was reportedly frustrated with this mistake and used it as an example of how Apple was “losing [its] commitment to excellence.”

The report also offers an interesting look at Cook’s leadership style and his relationship with subordinates, citing an anecdote from former Apple executive Joe O’Sullivan:

Mr. Cook’s command of detail causes underlings to enter meetings with trepidation. He leads through interrogation, with a precision that has reshaped how Apple staff work and think.

“The first question is: ‘Joe, how many units did we produce today?’ ‘It was 10,000.’ ‘What was the yield?’ ‘98%.’ You can answer those and then he’d say, ‘Ok, so 98%, explain how the 2% failed?’ You’d think, ‘F—, I don’t know.’ It drives a level of detail so everyone becomes Cook-like,” said Joe O’Sullivan, a former Apple operations executive. He said Mr. Cook’s first meeting with staff the day he arrived in 1998 lasted 11 hours.

Middle managers today screen staff before meetings with Mr. Cook to make sure they’re knowledgeable. First-timers are advised not to speak. “It’s about protecting your team and protecting him. You don’t waste his time,” said a longtime lieutenant. If he senses someone is insufficiently prepared, he loses patience and says, “Next,” as he flips a page of the meeting agenda, this person said, adding, “people have left crying.”

There’s also an interesting contrast drawn between Cook’s hands-off approach to Apple’s product development, yet his desire to keep up with the competition. According to the report, Apple’s chief hardware executive Dan Riccio was “exploring the idea of a smart speaker around 2015,” and Cook “peppered him with questions about the product and asked for more information.”

Ultimately, Riccio scaled back the development of Apple’s smart speaker in 2015. Following the success of Amazon’s Echo speakers, however, Cook is said to have emailed Riccio to ask “where Apple stood on its speaker effort.” This situation, the report explains, is what emphasizes Cook’s cautious approach to entering new product categories:

Mr. Cook tends to assess new product ideas with caution, taking the position in some discussions that he doesn’t want to release a product that may sell poorly and undermine the company’s track record of success, according to senior engineers.

Finally, the report touches on Apple’s recent focus on Services, including concerns that things like Apple TV+ aren’t yet seeing the success Cook had anticipated.

Mr. Cook isn’t rattled, former members of the services team said, calculating that over time, Apple will gain subscribers. “They’re not going to go full bore,” one of these people said. “With a billion devices world-wide, they believe if you’ve got something a little better and it’s on your own phone, people will adopt it.”

The full profile of Apple CEO Tim Cook is well worth a read and can be found at The Wall Street Journal.
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[Stillrandy]

There are some even at Lit that know me not as sultrysandy but Sandy the person, and say I talk and think differently than anyone else they know.
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You come across as a unique and class individual Sandy. Your posts in various threads are always worth a read!

 

[sultrysandy]

Apple News+ in iOS 14 Opens Article Web Links in Apple News, Intercepting Traffic Fro

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Apple News+ in iOS 14 Opens Article Web Links in Apple News, Intercepting Traffic From Websites



Apple News in iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur has a toggle that's designed to open web links from *Apple News*+ publishers directly in *Apple News*, which has the effect of directing users who tap to read a news story in Safari to the *Apple News* app instead of to the publisher's website.

Enabled by default in the Settings app, the option to open web links in *Apple News* is an *Apple News*+ "feature," so an *Apple News*+ subscription is required to have the *Apple News* app open when a web link is tapped.

The option to open links in *Apple News* instead of on the web was highlighted by Tony Haile, who points out that Apple is intercepting traffic from websites and directing it to the *Apple News* app instead, cannibalizing a publisher's audience and drawing more users to *Apple News*+. Haile suggests that Apple can accelerate News+ growth by intercepting publisher traffic, with the ultimate aim of attracting more publishers to the platform with a growing subscription base.

Woah, I wonder how many publishers in *Apple News*+ realize that the new iOS14 and MacOS Big Sur are by default intercepting traffic to their sites and sending it to the *Apple News* app instead. pic.twitter.com/k4PQG9mE7M — Tony Haile (@arctictony) August 10, 2020

pic.twitter.com/k4PQG9mE7M - remove spaces in URL = https:/ / t . c o / k4PQG9mE7M



Publishers are not likely to be appreciative of this feature, even limited to *Apple News*+ subscribers, because the feature is enabled by default in the *iOS 14* and macOS Big Sur updates. Apple has struggled to gain new subscribers to *Apple News*+, while also dealing with publishers who are not happy with the service because of its low subscription rates.

There have been multiple reports suggesting publishers are unimpressed with the revenue generated from *Apple News*+, which has fallen below Apple's initial promises. *Apple News*+ attracted multiple magazine publishers from launch thanks to Apple's acquisition of magazine service Texture, but it has struggled to entice news publishers.

The New York Times and The Washington Post have refused to participate in *Apple News*+, as have many other news sites. The New York Times recently ended its Apple News partnership entirely and pulled all articles from the service, stating that *Apple News* does not "align with its strategy of building direct relationships with paying readers."

The redirecting feature appears to be limited to publishers who participate in *Apple News*+, so this change in *iOS 14* and macOS Big Sur could perhaps spur additional publishers to end their relationships with *Apple News*. *Apple News*+ readers on *iOS 14* can open the News section of the Settings app to disable "Open Web Links in News" while macOS Big Sur users can get to the toggle by opening the News app and then going to the settings section.

Many *Apple News*+ users have been asking for a way to open up web links in *Apple News*+ to avoid paywalls on the web, so *Apple News*+ subscribers that pay for the service are likely to be appreciative of the new feature.
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[sultrysandy]

New Jersey Court rules suspects can be compelled to hand over phone passcodes

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled a defendant can be forced to give up their iPhone's passcode, a decision that goes against arguments that such actions violate the Fifth Amendment.

The court agreed with prosecutors when asked about locked smartphones and whether they have to be given up to law enforcement, as part of an investigation into a former Essex County sheriff's officer and their dealings with a Bloods street gang. The court decided to rule in favor, but narrowly, with the decision being 4-3 for the motion.

The decision, as reported by NorthJersey.com, rejects the argument that providing access to a smartphone's locked data violates the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against self-incrimination.

The ruling forces former officer Robert Andrews to hand over passcodes for two smartphones to investigators. Andrews has been charged with multiple counts of official misconduct, as well as hindering apprehension and obstruction, for allegedly tipping off a person of interest ahead of their arrest in 2015.

After admitting to having conversed Andrews, authorities found evidence of 114 exchanges between the officer and the person of interest. When a warrant was secured for a closer inspection, Andrews claimed providing the passcodes was the equivalent of being compelled to provide "testimony" that could be self-incriminating.

The state told the court that this doesn't apply due to the "foregone conclusion exception" of the Fifth Amendment, namely that they knew messages existed and the only thing preventing access was Andrews' passcode.

According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center counsel Megan Iorio, whom provided a brief to the court on behalf of Andrews, the court "emphasized that the search warrant in this case was significantly narrowed by a trial court order, and that decision did not give law enforcement license to conduct a fishing expedition."

The ruling is the latest event in an ongoing series of rulings concerning whether demanding passcode or biometric access to mobile devices is permissible, with courts varying their rulings over time.

In January 2019, a federal judge in California ruled Face ID and Touch ID unlocks couldn't be compelled by law enforcement officials, a decision agreed upon by a US magistrate in August that same year. However, in 2016, a Los Angeles court ordered a woman to unlock her Touch ID-secured iPhone as part of an FBI investigation into the Armenian Power gang.






Posted this being a fourth group invading people's privacy on their internet devices:

• Despite not stated in their (so called) privacy disclosures, websites collecting then selling out info (both personal and web activity)

• ISP's (e.g. cable companies, cell phone service providers) doing the same

• The White House wants to ban apps made by foreign companies collecting out info (but it's okay for U.S firms to do whatever they want)

• Law Enforcement want free access to our devices (i.e. back doors, also many high profile news worthy instances)
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[sultrysandy]

Facebook sued for allegedly harvesting biometric data via Instagram

Facebook is being sued for allegedly collecting the biometric data of Instagram users or people who appear in photos on the platform without their consent.

In the complaint, lodged Monday in a Redwood City, California state court, Facebook is accused of "collecting, storing and profiting" from the biometric data of more than 100 million Instagram users. More specifically, that biometric data relates to facial recognition technology.

The lawsuit claims that Instagram uses a face-tagging tool that use facial recognition to create "face templates," which are then stored in Facebook databases. It goes on to add that Instagram uses this tool automatically without obtaining a user's consent, even if the people in the images don't have Instagram accounts themselves.

"Once Facebook captures its Instagram users' protected biometrics, it uses them to bolster its facial recognition abilities across all of its products, including the Facebook application, and shares this information among various entities," the lawsuit reads.

According to Bloomberg, the practice violates an Illinois privacy law and prohibits the unauthorized harvesting of biometric data. Per that law, Facebook could face fines of $1,000 per violation — or $5,000 if it's found to have acted recklessly or intentionally.

Facebook has already seen controversy over similar practices. In July, the company agreed to pay $650 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged similar biometric data harvesting on Facebook's flagship social media platform, Reuters reported.

This isn't the first time the company has been in the spotlight for alleged privacy abuses. In April, a report indicated that the company had attempted to purchase spyware created by NSO Group to monitor iPhone users.



https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-12/facebook-s-instagram-targeted-in-new-lawsuit-over-biometrics
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[sultrysandy]

acy's faces class action over facial recognition technology

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Not only tech companies but also realities using biometrics, facial recognition, AI, whatever people and companies want to call collecting info on people.



Macy’s hit with privacy lawsuit over alleged use of controversial facial recognition software

People pass Macy's along North Michigan Avenue near Water Tower Place on May 8, 2018, in Chicago. A Chicago resident has filed a federal lawsuit seeking class-action status against Macy's for allegedly using Clearview AI facial recognition technology without customers' consent.



Chicago woman has filed a lawsuit alleging Macy’s violated Illinois’ biometric privacy law by using video surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology on its customers.

The lawsuit, which is seeking class-action status, was filed last week in Chicago federal court on behalf of Isela Carmean, a regular Macy’s customer whose image was likely identified — without her consent — through a facial recognition database, the complaint alleges.

The state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act requires companies to get permission before using technologies such as facial recognition to identify customers.

The suit alleges Macy’s is a client of technology startup Clearview AI, which has created facial recognition software that scrapes social media images to build a massive database capable of identifying people through photos.

The department store chain allegedly “sends or has sent” pictures of customers captured by store video surveillance to Clearview to identify them and obtain their personal information, the suit alleges.



The suit alleges Macy’s is “actively profiting” off information gleaned from the biometric data through improved security and marketing.

Macy’s said in an email Monday it does not comment on pending litigation.

On its website, Clearview AI promotes its platform as “a new research tool used by law enforcement agencies to identify perpetrators and victims of crimes.”

In February, BuzzFeed News reported it obtained leaked internal documents from Clearview that showed Macy’s, Best Buy, Kohl’s and Walmart were among more than 200 corporate clients under contract for facial recognition services.

Clearview, which is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit alleges Macy’s has run the identities of more than 6,000 customers through the Clearview database. Carmean has “such a widespread and active social media presence” that her biometric identifiers and personal information are contained in that database, the lawsuit alleges.

Mike Drew, a Chicago attorney who represents Carmean, declined to comment on the lawsuit Monday beyond correcting his client’s name, which was misspelled in the complaint.



Biometric privacy has been a growing concern in the age of artificial intelligence and social media. In January, Facebook agreed to pay $550 million to Illinois users to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging its facial tagging feature violated their privacy rights. A federal judge upped the total settlement to $650 million in June.

In May, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Clearview in Cook County Circuit Court alleging the facial recognition startup violated the state’s biometric privacy law and embodied a privacy “nightmare” by capturing “untold quantities” of user photos and data from the internet without consent.

Adopted in 2008, the Illinois biometric privacy law requires companies to get written permission to collect and use biometric information, and to publish a written policy establishing a retention schedule for that information.



The lawsuit against Macy’s is seeking $1,000 for each member of the proposed class for every negligent violation of the biometric privacy act and $5,000 for every intentional violation by the department store chain, as well as punitive damages and other costs.

It is also asking the court to order Macy’s to delete the personal information of class members from its database, and to stop its alleged practice of using surveillance photos to get a positive identification of customers through Clearview.

On July 22, Macy’s made it mandatory that every customer wear a mask while shopping in its stores to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The requirement may provide some inadvertent relief to those with privacy concerns.

A preliminary study published July 27 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a government agency, found that commercial facial recognition algorithms failed to accurately identify people up to 50% of the time when they were wearing masks.

“None of these algorithms were designed to handle face masks,” said Mei Ngan, an agency computer scientist and an author of the report.
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[sultrysandy]

PSA: iOS users are randomly being prompted with an iTunes Store error message

A number of iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users are now reporting that iOS is showing a random error message related to the iTunes Store. According to some reports on social networks, the error message appears unexpectedly after opening any app installed on the device.

The iTunes Store error simply pops up on the screen for several times. “The iTunes Store is unable to process purchases at this time. Please try again later,” says the message. Although it mentions the iTunes Store, this issue is affecting users within multiple third-party apps.

Checkeing the Apple System Status webpage, but it still doesn’t mention any problems with the iTunes Store. Rhe only issue confirmed by Apple was an ongoing instability affecting the Apple Books app.

Unfortunately, there’ still no workaround to this error message, so if you’re getting it on your iPhone or iPad the best you can do now is wait until Apple fixes the problem.

. @Apple @AppleSupport make it stop please! pic.twitter.com/QfZSgcqky3

— . dαni (@da_ni_ella) August 13, 2020

pic.twitter.com/QfZSgcqky3 URL - https:/ / t . c o / QfZSgcqky3

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[sultrysandy]

Instagram Retained Deleted Photos and Messages on Its Servers for Over a Year

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Instagram kept deleted photos and PMs for a year; says bug fixed

A security researcher has found that Instagram kept deleted photos and private messages for more than a year after he deleted them. The company paid him $6,000 for the discovery …

TechCrunch reports.

Independent security researcher Saugat Pokharel found that when he downloaded his data from Instagram, a feature it launched in 2018 to comply with new European data rules, his downloaded data contained photos and private messages with other users that he had previously deleted.

It’s not uncommon for companies to store freshly deleted data for a time until it can be properly scrubbed from its networks, systems and caches. Instagram said it takes about 90 days for deleted data to be fully removed from its systems.

But Pokharel found that his ostensibly deleted data from more than a year ago was still stored on Instagram’s servers, and could be downloaded using the company’s data download tool.

Pokharel submitted it as a bug, and the company paid him $6k under its bug bounty. It says the bug has now been fixed.

This mirrors an experience with Twitter last year, where another researcher found that Twitter retained copies of direct messages ‘years’ after they’d been deleted by the user.

While there’s no reason to doubt either company’s explanation that this was a coding error rather than a deliberate privacy breach, it does highlight the need for transparency and user control around deletion policies, as well as a proper auditing process.

For example, when you delete a photos from your iPhone, Apple is transparent about the default process:

• The photo is moved to the Deleted photos album
  
  
• It is hidden from your main feed
  
  
• It is permanently deleted after 30 days

You also have the ability to override the 30-day delay: if you go into the Deleted photos album and delete it from there, then it is immediately and permanently deleted.

Other apps and services could learn much from this approach.






Let's see:

Who owns Instagram? Oh yeah, Facebook

What have companies been claiming when they're caught? Software bug.
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[sultrysandy]

Apple doubles down on iOS 14 tracking privacy as Facebook panics

One of the key privacy features in iOS 14 is a new option that allows users to disable tracking between different applications. During its quarterly earnings call last month, Facebook pointed out that the new tracking setting could impact its advertising revenue, and a new report from The Information today goes into more detail.

The report explains that Facebook representatives have been meeting with mobile game companies to discuss the iOS 14 privacy change. Gaming companies are a key advertising partner for Facebook, and it is using these meetings as a way to hear “concerns” from such advertisers.

To ease their concerns, Facebook representatives have been meeting with gaming companies, say two people familiar with the meetings. Besides reassuring this important group of customers, Facebook employees have been engaged in trying to get more information about the upcoming Apple shift, according to one gaming executive who has been meeting with them.

The likely outcome is that gaming companies spend less on “app-install advertisements.” This is an advertising category that directly asks people to download an app or game, but without the more detailed targeting data, they could prove to be less successful on iOS 14.

Interestingly, the report from The Information does note that Apple itself could lose out if the iOS 14 privacy changes have an impact on the mobile gaming industry. Citing data from Sensor Tower, the report says that 68% of all revenue from the App Store came from games last year.

Nonetheless, Apple is doubling down on its commitment to user privacy in iOS 14. In a statement, the company said that targeted advertising is welcome, but that it is something users should have control over:

An Apple spokesperson said the company welcomes targeted advertising, but it wants to give users the ability to opt in to those types of ads. If someone doesn’t want to be tracked, Apple will tell the app’s developer, which needs to make sure the app is complying. Apple says it could ban any app that continues to track users against their wishes.

The iOS 14 feature in question allows users to disable tracking between different applications. In iOS 14, developers will be required to ask for permission before tracking a user across apps or websites:

Apple requires app developers to ask for permission before they track you or your device across apps or websites they don’t own in order to target advertising to you, measure your actions due to advertising, or to share your information with data brokers.

The new privacy controls are accessible in iOS 14 by opening the Settings app, then looking for the Privacy menu.
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[sultrysandy]

Publishers call new Apple News+ redirect feature a 'shady' move

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In somewhat of a rush. These are two seperate followup articleds form the post #478

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Apple News+ in iOS 14 Opens Article Web Links in Apple News, Intercepting Traffic From Websites



Apple News in iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur has a toggle that's designed to open web links from *Apple News*+ publishers directly in *Apple News*, which has the effect of directing users who tap to read a news story in Safari to the *Apple News* app instead of to the publisher's website.

Publishers call new Apple News+ redirect feature a 'shady' move



Publishers on Apple News are not happy about a small but significant change to the way Safari treats publication links.

In iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur, Apple will introduce a setting that automatically redirects users to the Apple News app when they click on a link from a News+ publisher. That allows users to bypass a publisher's website completely.

A relatively quiet addition to the latest iOS and macOS betas, the feature was first spotted by Scroll CEO Tony Haile. Now, publishers are expressing frustration over the change and the fact that Apple has been quiet about it.

Sources at five Apple News+ publishers told Digiday that the Cupertino tech giant did not inform them of the change ahead of time. One source said that the move was "totally unethical," while another said it was "a bit shady."

"They're being kind of hypocritical. They're saying everybody can't use third-party cookies and we can't track our audience. Meanwhile, they control the hardware and the software pipeline," one of the sources told Digiday.

Apple, for its part, says that the change is a user-friendliness feature that offers "seamless access to the content" that's part of Apple News+. The $9.99 news subscription doesn't allow users to bypass paywalls, so they have to read premium content in the app.

The move comes at a time when publishers are starting to see increased revenue from Apple News+, Digiday reported. Apple distributes 50% of subscriber revenue to publishers based on how long they read content in the app.

Many legacy newspapers and major publications have been hesitant to go all-in on Apple News, however. Both The Washington Post and The New York Timeschose not to participate in Apple News+, and the latter publication recently pulled out of Apple News entirely.

During its latest earnings call, publisher News Corp. said that it would keep The Wall Street Journal on Apple News for the foreseeable future. It cited the fact that the platform draws a "genuinely different audience" for the publication.

In July, Apple expanded its Apple News offerings with new options for local news coverage and professionally narrated audio news content.
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[sultrysandy]

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and the second article



Some Publishers Concerned About Apple News+ Intercepting Traffic From Websites in iOS 14


Apple did not inform three large publishers about a change in iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur that directs users who tap on an Apple News+ story in Safari to the *Apple News* app instead of the publisher's website, according to Ad Age. The report claims that two of the publishers are evaluating whether to terminate their relationship with Apple News+ as a result of the change, but for now are taking a "wait-and-see approach."

From the report:

Two of the executives at the publishers told Ad Age they receive decent traffic through their deal with Apple, but are now questioning how it will impact their bottom line, as they each have greater monetization opportunities through their owned properties.

In a statement shared with The Verge's Dieter Bohn earlier this week, Apple said that the change provides publishers with "increased engagement and revenue opportunities on Apple News," adding that users have the option to adjust their preference. On iOS 14, the toggle switch can be found in Settings > News > Open Web Links in News. On macOS Big Sur, open the Apple News app and click on News > Preferences… in the menu bar.

Apple is committed to creating the best experience for Apple News+ subscribers. This change offers subscribers seamless access to the content that is part of their News+ subscription right in the News app or publisher app, as well as providing publishers with increased engagement and revenue opportunities on Apple News. News+ subscribers can set their link preference in their News settings.

Publisher reception to Apple News has been mixed. In June, The New York Times pulled out of Apple News, noting that the service does not "align with its strategy of building direct relationships with paying readers." To the contrary, The Wall Street Journal this week said that its Apple News* partnership provides the publication with a "significantly new audience," including more women and young people.
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[Jada59]

HT send pics and vids

I have an Iphone. I'm on a family plan with my ex and daughter.

A little while ago, I tried to send a pic to one BF. The pic would not send, no matter what I did. Just said it wasn't delivered. I tried to send it via text. I have sent him pics in the past. no problems.

Last time I was with him. I showed him the pics just to prove that they were there. Thinking I was stupid or something, he showed me how to send it. But then I noticed after he left, it didn't send.

A few hours ago, I tried to send a vid to the other BF. Again via text. This time just flat out nothing happened. It said there was an attachment, but it wouldn't do a thing when I tried to send it it. It did say MMS.

I tried with Wifi on and off, in both cases and both have Iphones.

He told me to send it via WhatsApp. Again, would not send. I could see it on my screen, but it had a red exclamation point next to it. When I clicked it, it said it didn't send. I clicked "resend". Nothing.

I looked online and it said I could only send to people in blue. Not sure what that means, but both BF's show in green. My daughter shows in blue as well as my gardener and Jennifer at animal control. I can send to my daughter and my gardener. Did not try to send to Jennifer.

Help! What is wrong!?

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

I looked online and it said I could only send to people in blue. Not sure what that means, but both BF's show in green. My daughter shows in blue as well as my gardener and Jennifer at animal control. I can send to my daughter and my gardener. Did not try to send to Jennifer.

Blue are contacts that use iPhones and are being sent via iMessage, do not use your text or data cellular plan. Green is android phones. As to what you do are doing wrong, apparently you are dating Android users.

Can you send pics to your daughter / gardener?

 

[sultrysandy]

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I'm gonna catch hell for this, but this is what popped into my head when I read his reply

Green is android phones. As to what you do are doing wrong, apparently you are dating Android users.

 

[Jada59]

Blue are contacts that use iPhones and are being sent via iMessage, do not use your text or data cellular plan. Green is android phones. As to what you do are doing wrong, apparently you are dating Android users.

Can you send pics to your daughter / gardener?

Yes. My daughter just told me that. I can send pics to them and today I was able to send a pic to FB two via WhatsApp.

 

[Jada59]

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I'm gonna catch hell for this, but this is what popped into my head when I read his reply

Agree.

 

[sultrysandy]

Apple expanding 60-day AppleCare purchase window to full year for hardware

Apple is significantly extending the amount of time customers have to add AppleCare coverage to protect their iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and other hardware products. Bloomberg reports that Apple has informed retail and customer support employees that customers in the US and Canada now have up to one year to buy AppleCare+ coverage.

Traditionally, Apple has given users 60 days from their purchase date to add AppleCare to their hardware product. This extension from a 60-day window to a one-year window should make it significantly easier for customers to buy AppleCare+ coverage after their initial purchase.

Interestingly, Apple says that the offer is available to customers who buy AppleCare+ in full or who pay via installments using Apple Card. Those who pay via other monthly payments will not be eligible.

“This gives customers another opportunity to protect their device and have access to all the AppleCare+ benefits,” Apple wrote in a memo to staff seen by Bloomberg News. The company told employees the offer is available to customers who pay for AppleCare+ in full versus monthly payments, or for those that subscribe via installments on the Apple Card credit card.

Even with this expansion, keep in mind that your iPhone or other product will need to be in normal working condition and not damaged to add AppleCare. AppleCare+ for iPhone includes up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage every 24 months.

AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss includes up to two incidents of accidental damage, theft, or loss coverage every 24 months. Both tiers of AppleCare+ serve as a complement to the one-year limited warranty that comes with Apple hardware purchases.

You can learn more about AppleCare+ on Apple’s website here. The company has not yet updated its webpage to acknowledge the new one-year window for adding AppleCare+ to your hardware.
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[astuffedshirt_perv]

Yes. My daughter just told me that. I can send pics to them and today I was able to send a pic to FB two via WhatsApp.

I have heard of android users being dropped as friends for just this reason. In a group chat with iPhone users, the messages go through wiFi. If there is an android user, the messages go through cellular and use up data allotments.

So the rich (AKA cool) kids would start a group text with other cool iPhone users. An android loser would join in, and now everyone has to use their cell plan to communicate. Soon someone drops android loser off the chat.

For me, I discovered that if I turn my cellular data off, I don't get group texts. To send to android, your cellular data needs to be turned on (and paid up).

 

[sultrysandy]

Apple opens up independent repair shop program to include Macs

Apple is expanding a repair program it launched in 2019 that provides independent repair businesses with access to the same tools, manuals, diagnostics, and parts as Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, with the company now supplying parts for Mac repairs.

Under the existing scheme, repair outfits with an Apple-certified technician can register to get all of the assistance and tools required to perform repairs on consumer goods, using the same techniques, processes, and parts that Apple Authorized Service Providers and Apple Stores employ. While the program previously centered on iPhone repairs, Apple is now updating it to incorporate its Mac lineup.

"When a device needs repairs, we want people to have access to a safe and reliable solution - this latest expansion joins the thousands of repair locations we've added over the past year," said Apple COO Jeff Williams to Reuters. "We're looking forward to bringing that convenient and trustworthy repair experience to our Mac users."

After initially launching the Independent Repair Provider Program in the United States, it is now available in 32 countries in Europe and Canada, and so far has 140 businesses serving 700 locations.

For consumers, the program provides easier access to repairs that use both genuine parts and work to a standard they would expect from an Apple Store or AASP. On Apple's side, the program expands the areas consumers can acquire support through, especially when there isn't an Apple Store or AASP nearby, as well as gaining revenue from the sale of components to the third-party businesses.

The program has some barriers to entry, such as denying home-based businesses and with Apple able to request business documentation at any time. An Apple-certified technician is also required to acquire parts, with certification exams and training provided free by Apple itself.

Apple has come under fire for the terms it imposes on participants in the program, including the need to agree to unannounced audits and inspections by Apple, presumably to identify the use of non-genuine parts by some outfits, with penalties of fines for those caught out. Signs and documentation must also explain that the store isn't an AASP, and that consent is required from customers showing they understand the difference before a repair can go underway.
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[Jada59]

I have heard of android users being dropped as friends for just this reason. In a group chat with iPhone users, the messages go through wiFi. If there is an android user, the messages go through cellular and use up data allotments.

So the rich (AKA cool) kids would start a group text with other cool iPhone users. An android loser would join in, and now everyone has to use their cell plan to communicate. Soon someone drops android loser off the chat.

For me, I discovered that if I turn my cellular data off, I don't get group texts. To send to android, your cellular data needs to be turned on (and paid up).

Interesting! I have unlimited everything so that's not an issue. I did look in my settings. I turned on one for SMS. Not sure if that will help.

Some years ago, I could not send to my gardner via FB. He has an Iphone. I was finally able to send through text. In that case, it was a combination of things. A setting on my phone was not right and it had something to do with Frontier as the guy from Frontier couldn't send pics either.

The odd thing is, I've sent pics to them before with no problem. The problem started with a Lit guy. Took me many attempts to send a vid over Skype and I never figured out why.

 

[sultrysandy]

US Secret Service bought location data harvested from popular apps

The US Secret Service bought smartphone location data harvested from popular apps, says a new report today. The claim is backed by a contract revealed through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

The data was purchased from a data broker …

Motherboard submitted the FOIA request follower an earlier report.

In March, tech publication Protocol reported that multiple government agencies signed millions of dollars worth of deals with [data broker] Babel Street after the company launched its Locate X product. Multiple sources told the site that Locate X tracks the location of devices anonymously, using data harvested by popular apps installed on peoples’ phones.

Protocol found public records showed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) purchased Locate X. One former Babel Street employee told the publication that the Secret Service used the technology. Now, the document obtained by Motherboard corroborates that finding.

Many apps collect location data, though iOS privacy requirements mean they have to seek user permission, and iPhone owners have the option of denying, allowing once, allowing only when the app is running or allowing always. However, apps often fail to properly disclose all the ways in which they use the data, especially when selling it to data brokers who then resell it to other companies or government agencies.

Democratic senator Ron Wyden says that such data purchases are an abuse of the 4th Amendment.

Law enforcement agencies typically require a warrant or court order to compel a company to provide location data for an investigation. Many agencies have filed so-called reverse location warrants to ask Google to hand over information on what Android devices were in a particular area at a given time, for example. But an agency does not need to seek a warrant when it simply buys the data instead.

Senator Wyden is planning legislation that would block such purchases.

“It is clear that multiple federal agencies have turned to purchasing Americans’ data to buy their way around Americans’ Fourth Amendment Rights. I’m drafting legislation to close this loophole, and ensure the Fourth Amendment isn’t for sale,” Wyden’s statement added.

Wyden says that Babel Street refuses to even talk to him.

“As part of my investigation into the sale of Americans’ private data, my office has pressed Babel Street for answers about where their data comes from, who they sell it to, and whether they respect mobile device opt-outs. Not only has Babel Street refused to answer questions over email, they won’t even put an employee on the phone,” Senator Ron Wyden told Motherboard in a statement.

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[sultrysandy]

Interesting! I have unlimited everything so that's not an issue. I did look in my settings. I turned on one for SMS. Not sure if that will help.

Some years ago, I could not send to my gardner via FB. He has an Iphone. I was finally able to send through text. In that case, it was a combination of things. A setting on my phone was not right and it had something to do with Frontier as the guy from Frontier couldn't send pics either.

The odd thing is, I've sent pics to them before with no problem. The problem started with a Lit guy. Took me many attempts to send a vid over Skype and I never figured out why.

Sorry Jada,

Was in process of putting together my post and didn't realize that you already had. Didn't mean to so quickly after your post.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Apple is expanding a repair program it launched in 2019 that provides independent repair businesses with access to the same tools, manuals, diagnostics, and parts as Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, with the company now supplying parts for Mac repairs.

Under the existing scheme, repair outfits with an Apple-certified technician can register to get all of the assistance and tools required to perform repairs on consumer goods, using the same techniques, processes, and parts that Apple Authorized Service Providers and Apple Stores employ. While the program previously centered on iPhone repairs, Apple is now updating it to incorporate its Mac lineup.

"When a device needs repairs, we want people to have access to a safe and reliable solution - this latest expansion joins the thousands of repair locations we've added over the past year," said Apple COO Jeff Williams to Reuters. "We're looking forward to bringing that convenient and trustworthy repair experience to our Mac users."

After initially launching the Independent Repair Provider Program in the United States, it is now available in 32 countries in Europe and Canada, and so far has 140 businesses serving 700 locations.

For consumers, the program provides easier access to repairs that use both genuine parts and work to a standard they would expect from an Apple Store or AASP. On Apple's side, the program expands the areas consumers can acquire support through, especially when there isn't an Apple Store or AASP nearby, as well as gaining revenue from the sale of components to the third-party businesses.

The program has some barriers to entry, such as denying home-based businesses and with Apple able to request business documentation at any time. An Apple-certified technician is also required to acquire parts, with certification exams and training provided free by Apple itself.

Apple has come under fire for the terms it imposes on participants in the program, including the need to agree to unannounced audits and inspections by Apple, presumably to identify the use of non-genuine parts by some outfits, with penalties of fines for those caught out. Signs and documentation must also explain that the store isn't an AASP, and that consent is required from customers showing they understand the difference before a repair can go underway.
.

And do you know why? Because they have had the shit sued out of them and Congress is even now investigating them for unfair practices. They make the repairs so expensive that it's cheaper(hahahaha) to by a new one.

 

[sultrysandy]

And do you know why? Because they have had the shit sued out of them and Congress is even now investigating them for unfair practices. They make the repairs so expensive that it's cheaper(hahahaha) to by a new one.

I agree regarding Apple being sued. And it is to be expected since they're the most valuable company, ever, with marker capitulation is appearing to reach $2 trillion dollars today. Also having $193.817 billion cash on hand, according to their fiscal third-quarter earnings report released Thursday July 30, they're a target for both copyright and patent trolls.


Do you have facts to support what you claim regarding Apple's business practices? Or are you again hiding behind your anonymity flexing your internet muscles and yet again behaving as a troll? Which appears to be the case.
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[sultrysandy]

Apple becomes first public company to reach a $2 trillion market cap

Apple has become the first public company to hit the magic milestone of having a $2 trillion market capitalization, just two years after it crossed the $1 trillion mark.

Market cap is the value of a share multiplied by number of shares, thereby seen as the overall value of a publicly traded firm. Apple has seen its stock almost double this year off of COVID pandemic lows in March. Investor confidence rebounded as Apple delivered strong revenue growth in many business divisions last quarter, with its services division offering promising monetization opportunities over the next few years.

Despite wider macroeconomic weakness, big tech companies have seen their stocks surge in the last few months.

AAPL stock fell to lows of $230 in March amongst the height of the coronavirus lockdowns, which saw Apple close all of its retail stores worldwide. However, iPhone sales have been reasonably resilient and Apple’s other business segments — like iPad and Mac — have performed well as more customers transition to working from home.

Looking forward, investors are excited by the possibilities of Apple’s content subscription services to drive more ongoing revenue. Apple led the subscriptions charge with Apple Music and is looking to repeat its success with other media. Services like Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade have had slow starts out of the gate but many believe they will catch on as Apple invests even more in content production and new features.
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