Nearly two years following the release of iOS and iPadOS 13, which included native, built-in, and systemwide dark mode, Snapchat, one of the world's most prominent social media networks, has finally rolled out a dark mode theme for iOS users.
Snapchat began testing a dark mode theme of its app design late last year with a small group of iOS users. Now, Snapchat says that as of this week, it has flipped the switch on access to dark mode for more than 90% of its iOS user base, offering millions of users access to the less eye-straining app interface.
Snapchat is offering three different types of "Appearance" modes for iOS users to choose from. The first mode maintains a dark theme for the app regardless of the default iOS system theme, the second mode maintains a light theme for the app, and the third mode matches the iOS setting.
Snapchat users can enable dark mode like so: Tap the Settings icon in the top-right hand corner, navigate the list, tap "App Appearance," then enable either "Always Dark," "Always Light," or "Match System."
Dark mode on Android will start rolling out in the coming months.
Ever since its launch in the United States in 2014, Apple Pay has slowly expanded to more countries worldwide while at the same time expanding the list of financial institutions that support the feature. With Apple Pay, users can easily add their credit or debit cards from supported banks to their iPhone and Apple Watch to make purchases at contactless payment terminals around the world. Apple Pay is also available on the Mac for web purchases.
At launch, there may be some banks that don't yet have support for Apple Pay; however, the list of supported banks will grow with time. Users can add a card to Apple Pay by heading over to the Wallet app on iPhone, pressing the plus button in the top-right hand corner, and following the on-screen prompts.
When you set up an AirTag, it's automatically associated with your Apple ID, which means it's linked to your Apple ID and can't be used by someone else unless you reset it.
Resetting can be as simple as removing an AirTag from your Apple ID, by following these steps:
Tap on the AirTag that you want to remove by choosing its name from the list.
Swipe upwards to bring up the full AirTag settings.
Tap on "Remove Item."
Tap on "Remove" and then tap again on the "Remove" popup.
Once you've gone through this process, the AirTag's ownership is cleared and you can give it to someone else to set up and use with their own account.
Unfortunately, if you're not in Bluetooth range of your AirTag when you remove it from your account, it won't register and a manual reset will be required. If you wind up with an AirTag from someone else that says it's linked to their ID but they've already removed it from their account, follow these steps to physically reset the AirTag:
Press down on the stainless steel backing of the AirTag.
As you press down, rotate counterclockwise until the cover stops rotating.
Pull apart the two halves of the AirTag.
Take out the battery.
Put the battery back in.
Press down on the battery until it makes a sound.
Once the sound finishes, repeat this process four more times, removing and replacing the battery and then pressing on the battery until you hear a sound.
You need to hear a total of five sounds to ensure that the AirTag is reset.
After you've finished this process, put the cover on the AirTag back on and then align the three tabs on the cover with the three slots on the AirTag.
Press down on the cover until there's a sound, and rotate the cover clockwise until it locks in place.
To avoid having to do this tedious physical resetting process, it's best to make sure that the person giving you an AirTag has removed it from their account in the proper way while it's in range of Bluetooth, because that's a far easier process for clearing AirTag ownership to pass it along to someone else.
Apple today emailed customers who have purchased a standard AppleCare plan for their Apple TV devices to let them know that coverage has been extended from two years to three years.
Customers who purchased AppleCare for the Apple TV will be now receiving a total of three years of coverage based on the date that they original bought the plan. AppleCare for Apple TV end dates will be automatically adjusted.
In the emails, Apple does not specify why it is extending the Apple TV AppleCare plans, but it is likely because of the transition to AppleCare+ for Apple TV, which Apple made available alongside the launch of the second-generation Apple TV 4K.
AppleCare+ for Apple TV provides three years of protection along with coverage for two incidents of accidental damage. The existing AppleCare plans that are being extended do not include accidental damage coverage.
AppleCare+ for Apple TV is priced at $29, with a monthly purchase option also available.
Apple today released a new version of Safari 14.1 for macOS Catalina and macOS Mojave users, with the update introducing fixes for two WebKit vulnerabilities that were patched in macOS Big Sur yesterday.
Apple's support document for the updated Safari release confirms that it addresses the same WebKit memory corruption issue and an integer overflow bug for users of older versions of macOS.
Both of these vulnerabilities may have been actively exploited, so it's important for users to upgrade immediately.
Apple says that the new Safari 14.1 release includes the security content of the 14.1 update that was released on April 26, 2021. It has a build number of15611.1.21.161.7 on macOS Catalina and 14611.1.21.161.7 on macOS Mojave.
Apple's legal battle with Epic Games is continuing on, and during the second day of the trial, Epic Games' CEO Tim Sweeney continued his testimony against Apple.
Sweeney was grilled by Apple's lawyers, and made several points seemingly favorable to Apple. In addition to mentioning how he prefers Apple's iPhone and values Apple's privacy policies that he's aiming to dismantle, Sweeney confirmed that Apple's 30 percent cut is also the "most prevalent rate" that other platforms charge.
Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo all take a 30 percent cut from Epic Games on their platforms and require their in-app purchase systems to be used, but Sweeney said that Epic is not challenging them because he believes in the idea of "subsidized hardware," though he also admitted that iPhone and iOS development is "very similar." It's also worth noting that Fortnite makes more money on console platforms than it does from iOS.
Sweeney confirmed that Epic Games has a history of bullying platform makers. Epic Games pushed Sony into allowing cross-platform play, but Sony ultimately got the upper hand and requires additional payment to enable cross-platform capabilities, unlike iOS, where cross-platform play is free and has been since Fortnite launched on the App Store.
Apple pointed out Epic Games' use of Apple's Metal API and shared correspondence where Sweeney and Epic had praised Metal in the past as evidence that Epic benefits from Apple's APIs and SDKs. From an Epic internal email discussing a quote to give to Apple:
We've been making use of Metal on iOS to great effect since its release in 2014. A fast, agile, feature-rich API like Metal is exactly what we need to bring a game designed for modern consoles and desktops to the battery-powered iPhone and iPad. As a developer, it blows away OpenGL in every way.
Starting in 2015, Sweeney began trying to convince Apple to make the App Store an open platform.
Humorously, when he got Sweeney's initial email, Cook didn't know who Sweeney was. "Is this the guy that was at one of our rehearsals?" he asked Phil Schiller in a forwarded email.
When asked whether he would have accepted a special deal from Apple for a lower App Store commission, Sweeney said "Yes, I would have," which seems to weaken Epic's argument that its decision to kick off a legal battle with Apple was done to benefit all developers.
At the conclusion of today's questioning, Sweeney was asked what he would do if Epic Games loses the case. In response, he said that Apple would be able to cut off Fortnite and remove Epic Games from the developer program for any reason. "We would have to live with not supporting the iOS platform," he said.
The legal fight between Apple and Epic will continue for three weeks, with Apple executives like Tim Cook set to testify during the third week. We'll have ongoing coverage of Apple v. Epic as the case continues on.
Apple's iPhone 13 models are expected to feature a slimmed down notch, marking the first major change to the TrueDepth camera system since it was introduced in the 2017 iPhone X.
We're still months away from the launch of the iPhone 13, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy managed to get an iPhone 13 Pro Max dummy model that represents what we can expect from the new 2021 device.
Dummy models often come out ahead of when new iPhone models launch to give case makers an idea of what to expect, and while this one is available earlier than usual, it seems to match up with rumors that we've heard so far.
The dummy model is a Pro Max, so it features a fake 6.7-inch display, and it has a realistic design that's higher quality than most mockups. The 13 Pro Max dummy model looks similar to the 12 Pro Max when it comes to design, but there is a notable change to the notch.
In line with rumors, the notch is slimmed down and less wide, with the four components of the TrueDepth Camera System located more closely to one another. The speaker has been relocated above the TrueDepth camera system rather than in the middle, which is the main reason why the notch is smaller.
There are three camera lenses that are larger than the camera lenses in the current iPhone 12 Pro Max, perhaps due to the rumored inclusion of sensor-shift optical image stabilization for the Ultra Wide lens, which will join the same sensor-shift stabilization that was added to the Wide lens in 2020.
Dummy model on right, iPhone 12 Pro Max on left
The camera bump is bigger to accommodate the larger lenses, and the lenses themselves are flush with each camera protrusion, a slight tweak from what we saw in the iPhone 12 Pro Max where lenses stick out a bit from each camera module.
There are no changes to the location of the volume and mute buttons or the power button, and there's a clear Lightning port. There were some early rumors that at least one iPhone 13 model could have a portless design, but later information suggested that would not happen.
The dummy model appears to be a bit thicker than the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but the difference is minimal. Depending on the accuracy of the dummy model, the iPhone 13 Pro Max may be just slightly narrower.
For more on what to expect in the iPhone 13, we have a dedicated iPhone 13 roundup that aggregates everything we know about the new iPhones to date.
Brydge has been making keyboards for Apple's iPads for years now, and the newest model, the Brydge 12.9 MAX+, is compatible with the third, fourth, and fifth-generation iPad Pro models, so it works even with the new mini-LED iPad Pro.
In our latest YouTube video, we checked out the new Brydge 12.9 MAX+ to see if it's a viable alternative to Apple's own Magic Keyboard. Note that we have a preproduction unit and haven't had a lot of time with it, so is more of an overview than an in-depth review.
Shipping out in June, the Brydge 12.9 MAX+ is priced at $250, which is quite expensive, but it is a full $100 cheaper than Apple's Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Like the Magic Keyboard, it offers a full keyboard and a trackpad that's compatible with the iPad Pro models, turning an iPad touch experience into a more laptop-like experience.
The Brydge 12.9 MAX+ is a keyboard case that connects to the back of the iPad Pro magnetically similar to the Magic Keyboard, but it does not have the same elevated angling, instead using a flatter, more typical laptop design.
The keys, which are arguably one of the most important aspects of any keyboard, feel great under the fingers and have a good amount of travel. There's a row of shortcut keys above the number row for controlling screen brightness, accessing media controls and emoji, and more.
The trackpad is huge, much larger than the trackpad on the Magic Keyboard and comparable to the trackpad on the MacBook Pro. The trackpad works well, and there are no dead zones. You can tap anywhere on the trackpad (and click in most areas minus the edges), and it's a major improvement over the trackpad on Brydge keyboards that we tested last year. You're not going to feel a lot of difference with this trackpad and the trackpad on the Magic Keyboard.
Since this is a Bluetooth keyboard, it does not connect to the Smart Connector like the Magic Keyboard, which is not as convenient because it does need to be charged at times. There are some other minor downsides. The keyboard is a bit wobbly when you touch the iPad's screen while using it, and the hinge is tight and it takes some force to adjust the position of the iPad, but overall, it's a solid keyboard and looks like it will be a good alternative to the Magic Keyboard.
Make sure to take a look at our full video to get a look at the keyboard in action.
Hunter Fan Company today announced it is expanding its SIMPLEconnect collection of Wi-Fi-enabled ceiling fans, all of which feature HomeKit support for controlling the fans with Apple's Home app or Siri voice commands.
The company's new Aerodyne fan pictured above is said to offer 20 percent higher airflow velocity than leading competitors. The 52-inch fan is equipped with an LED light and is available in Matte Black or Matte Silver for $179.99 at HunterFan.com.
In addition, the Hunter Fan Company plans to release a new Stylus fan later this year, but no details were provided. This will expand Hunter Fan Company's lineup of Wi-Fi-enabled fans to 15 models, including the Aerodyne, Signal, Symphony, Romulus, Radeon, Advocate, Apache, and more, many of which can be found at home improvement stores.
The new ceiling fans are also compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Hunter Fan Company's SIMPLEconnect app.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming two weeks after the release of the first macOS Big Sur 11.4 beta.
Developers can download the macOS Big Sur 11.4 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.
According to Apple's developer release notes, the macOS Big Sur 11.4 update adds Intel Mac support for AMD's 6000-Series Navi GPUs. It is not yet clear if there are also other outward-facing features included.
Just after Apple announced its AirTags, Tile CEO CJ Prober relayed his concerns about competing with Apple in the tracking space, and said that Tile would ask Congress to investigate Apple's business practices specific to Find My and item trackers.
Prober this week did an interview with Bloomberg, where he further expanded on Tile's complaints about Apple and why he feels that Tile is disadvantaged on Apple's platform. Prober said that while Tile "welcomes competition," he doesn't feel that Apple is being fair.
Tile welcomes competition. We've been competing for 8 years with small companies to Fortune 50 companies, so we welcome competition from Apple, but we think it needs to be fair.
Prober claims that when Apple "launched" Find My in 2019, there were changes to iOS that made it harder for Tile to operate. Apple did release a unified Find My app in 2019, but has long had Find My iPhone and Find My Mac apps for devices.
If you look at the history between Tile and Apple, we had a very symbiotic relationship. They sold Tile in their stores, we were highlighted at WWDC 2019, and then they launched Find My in 2019, and right when they launched their Find My app, which is effectively a competitor of Tile, they made a number of changes to their OS that made it very difficult for our customers to enable Tile. And then once they got it enabled, they started showing notifications that basically made it seem like Tile was broken.
Prober is talking about changes that Apple made to location services permissions. For privacy purposes, Apple stopped making it easy for apps to get permanent access to a user's location. Apps in iOS 13 were not initially allowed to present an "Always Allow" option when requesting location access, and the feature had to be enabled in the Settings app. Apple also started sending regular reminders to customers letting them know their location was being used.
Tile was not happy with these privacy changes and that privacy tweak set Tile against Apple, with Tile in 2019 calling on Congress to "level the playing field."
Prober said that Apple has now launched a Tile competitor that has access to platform capabilities that Tile cannot access, referencing seamless activation and Ultra Wideband technology.
The main points of differentiation of AirTags vis a vis Tile are enabled by platform capabilities that we don't have access to.
Apple has, in fact, launched the Find My network that gives third-party accessories some of the same access that AirTags have, and Find My network accessories will be able to access the U1 chip in the iPhone 11 and 12 models much like the AirTags, but Tile won't be able to use the Find My network unless it abandons its own app and infrastructure, which it is likely unwilling to do.
Prober said that Tile has been "seeking to access" the U1 chip since its introduction in the iPhone, and has been denied.
It's too early to tell whether Tile's sales will be impacted by AirTag, but Prober says that Tile is "well-positioned" with a "super differentiated product" that's available across platform and in many form factors. He suggested Tile has several benefits over AirTags.
We have many form factors. You don't need an accessory to attach it to your things. We're louder, we've got better range. So we have a lot going for us. We feel good about our competitive position, but we don't feel like we should be competing in the way we are with Apple. This is much broader than Tile, this is about long term consumer choice, innovation thriving, and lower prices. That's why we're being so vocal about this.
According to Prober, Apple could take the advantages that it has on its platform and make them available to everyone for a more level competitive playing field. He called for legislation to allow for innovation and competition. "We should be competing fairly and no excessive taxes on developers," he said.
Prober's full interview can be watched over at Bloomberg.
Last month, Apple filed a lawsuit against Simon Lancaster, a former employee who allegedly used his senior position within the company to steal "sensitive trade secret information" that he then provided to a reporter.
Lancaster responded to the complaint this week in California court. In his formal answer, obtained by MacRumors, Lancaster denied that he abused his position and trust within the company, systematically disseminated Apple's trade secret information, or improperly used his seniority to gain access to internal meetings and documents.
Lancaster admitted that he did communicate with a tech reporter "regarding Apple products and workplace issues he considered to be of public concern," but he denied that he was a "source" for "unspecified" articles published by the reporter:
Lancaster admits that he communicated with a reporter covering technology issues regarding Apple products and workplace issues he considered to be of public concern – namely, alleged corruption within Apple's supply chain and among Apple's supply chain managers. Lancaster lacks sufficient knowledge or information to admit or deny the allegations contained in Paragraph 2 of the Complaint that he was a "source" for unspecified "articles" published by the reporter, and denies those allegations of Paragraph 2 on that basis.
In particular, Lancaster said that he exchanged direct messages with a reporter in November 2018, with communication continuing into 2019. Lancaster also revealed that he met "socially" with the reporter in person on or around September 3, 2019, including "for reasons that had nothing to do with Apple."
Lancaster confirmed that he attended a large company event at Apple's headquarters in October 2019, after receiving an email invitation from Apple to attend the meeting. During the event, Lancaster received a text message from a superior asking him to leave the event, at which point he immediately left, according to his answer. Apple alleged that this company event discussed "sensitive trade secret information," including "Project X."
Lancaster indicated that his final day of employment at Apple was November 1, 2019, and that late in the evening on that day, he logged on to Apple's system to "send farewell emails to his colleagues." Lancaster denied that he downloaded confidential information to assist his new employer, as alleged in Apple's complaint.
Lancaster admits that after he resigned his employment with Apple, he began working at a company that served as a vendor for Apple. Lancaster denies that any conduct by him has created any harm or damage to Apple, and specifically denies that he ever used any Apple information either for the benefit of his new employer or in connection with his subsequent employment.
Lancaster admitted that, in October 2019, he proposed writing a story to the reporter about his departure from Apple. He also revealed that he continued to communicate with the reporter regarding Apple products after he announced his resignation.
In his answer, Lancaster goes on to admit that he requested that the reporter publish stories favorable to a startup in which he had invested, but denied that such requests were in exchange for any information discussed with the reporter or had any relationship to Apple confidential information.
Lancaster ultimately denied many of Apple's allegations "on the ground that he lacks sufficient knowledge or information to admit or deny them and/or on the ground that they state legal conclusions to which no response is required."
We've embedded Lancaster's full answer below with more details. As with Apple's original complaint, it's a fascinating read that provides a closer look at Apple's culture of secrecy and the efforts that the company takes to protect its intellectual property.
Logitech's new Combo Touch keyboard case with a built-in trackpad is now available to pre-order for the new fifth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro. There doesn't appear to be a specific shipping date listed at this time.
Priced at $230, the Combo Touch keyboard is a more affordable alternative to Apple's Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which retails for $349. The keyboard features an integrated stand that can be adjusted for multiple viewing angles, backlit keys with adjustable brightness, a full row of iPadOS shortcut keys, and a cutout for storing the second-generation Apple Pencil, all while protecting the iPad Pro.
The keyboard connects to an iPad Pro using the Smart Connector, so there's no need for wireless pairing or charging a battery.
Logitech's Combo Touch was first released for the new 11-inch iPad Pro last month and is available in gray only. Apple recently introduced a new white color for its Magic Keyboard, alongside the original black version.
Woot today has a solid discount on Apple's AirPods Pro, which are available for $189.99, down from $249.00. This is one of the lowest ongoing prices that we have tracked for the AirPods Pro, and they're beating Amazon's current sale by $7.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Woot is selling the AirPods Pro in new condition, and they come with a one year Apple warranty. AirPods Pro are Apple's high-end Bluetooth headphones, offering active noise cancellation and many more features. The included charging case also supports Qi wireless charging, so you can recharge the headphones via any compatible Qi mat.
You can also get the Apple Pencil 2 for $109.99 on Woot today, down from $129.00. This is the second-best price that we've tracked in a few weeks, compared to Verizon's $103.99 price tag from last month. Today's deals are part of an overall "Apple Deals" event happening on Woot, which also includes some iPhone 11 offers.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
Apple's new AirTag item trackers have been making their way into the hands of customers since Friday, and while the company has tried to describe the ways that they can be used to find lost items, many users are still surprised and disappointed to learn that the location of an AirTag can't be shared with other family members.
On the face of it, sharing the location of an AirTag via Apple's Family Sharing feature should be a no-brainer, since individual members in a Family Sharing group can use the Find My app to see the location of other family members' Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, AirPods, and Apple Watches.
Given those Family Sharing privileges, many users have understandably assumed that an AirTag attached to an item that's regularly used by more than one person in the household (a set of keys, for example) could be tracked by multiple family members within Find My.
Unfortunately, however, AirTags don't work like other Apple devices in Find My, and several users have taken to the MacRumors forums, Reddit, and Apple's community support site to share their displeasure after learning about the Family Sharing limitation:
I received my first two AirTags today. One for each of our dogs. I was disappointed to see I couldn't share them with my wife. That would have made a lot of sense.
It is extremely disappointing that there is not currently an option to share AirTags with family members. This is a very convenient feature that Tile (as well as other trackers) offers. I suppose I should have looked into this before ordering them. I suppose it just seemed like such a no-brainer feature that I didn't even think to checking.
I hope this is functionality they add soon. If Tile could figure out how to do it I am sure Apple can. This is kind of a bummer.
Surprised that Apple didn't include a share option at least with official family share members. Tile used to allow me to share "items."
For example, me and the wife both have our own cars, but we swap at random. She's always losing hers in the house and now I won't be able to find them, only she can. Hope they add this feature.
1. Husband opens brand new Air Tags and registers one to his phone 2. Places one in the Belkin holder, then connects to only set of car keys 3. 8am Wife picks up car keys in morning, drives to work, husband goes to bed as on nightshift 4. 4pm Wife finishes work but can't remember where car keys are, confused she looks into Find My… 5. *Fail*
If a husband and wife are on the same iCloud Family Sharing plan, then it should be possible for each person to see the AirTag regardless of whose phone it is.
As Apple has explained, the only AirTag privilege afforded to people in an iCloud Family Sharing group is that they can silence the "AirTag Detected" safety alert that appears when an AirTag is traveling with them that is registered to someone else. (Likewise, the owner of the AirTag can disable the safety alerts to prevent someone else's iPhone from detecting it as unwanted tracking.)
But that's as far as the Family Sharing functionality goes. AirTags are only meant to be owned by one person, and it's not currently possible to share an AirTag's location with another family member using another Apple ID. It's likely that Apple has omitted this feature due to privacy concerns, so whether or not it intends to introduce it in the future via some other form of implementation remains to be seen.
Apple's iPad shipments are expected remain stable in the second quarter of this year, despite the impact of global chip shortages, according to a new report.
The ongoing integrated chip shortage has been caused by supply chain issues that arose during the global health crisis and weather-related events like the freeze in Texas that shut down Austin chip plants.
As chip factories struggled to keep up with standard outputs during the pandemic, demand surged as people purchased devices for an at-home lifestyle, leading to higher prices. As a result, electronics companies bought up all available supply, leading chip makers to run at capacity.
So far, the shortage has only had minor impacts on the tablet market, which continues to follow its seasonal pattern. Global tablet shipments totaled 35.95 million units in the first quarter of 2021, down 22.7% sequentially, but 45.5% on year, according to DigiTimes.
However, the release of new iPad Pro models will help Apple buck declining trends in the global market, according to the report, with most non-Apple brands expected to witness sequential declines in second-quarter shipments.
The sequential shipment decline in the first quarter was due to slow-season effect and volumes in the second quarter are expected to continue suffering from seasonality, witnessing a sequential drop of 6.6%, Digitimes Research's figures show.
Unbranded or "white-box" tablet vendors are said to have been seriously hit by the shortages and have watched their market shares being taken over by inexpensive models by brand vendors. DigiTimes reports that white-box tablets could be at risk of disappearing from the market altogether in 2022.
Despite Apple's ability to remain unscathed by the chip shortage in Q2, Bloombergreports that its 12.9-inch iPad Pro may be in short supply when it launches on May 21 due to production issues of the mini-LED display being used in the device.
Overall, Apple will seen an impact from the chip shortages and says it expects to see a sequential decline of approximately $3 to $4 billion revenue in the third-quarter of 2021 due to iPad and Mac supply constraints. Apple says a combination of the shortages and a very high level of demand for both iPad and Mac is expected to impact revenue in the second half of 2021.
More than a week following their international debut, Apple's AirTag item tracker is now facing child safety concerns about its replaceable battery.
AirTags feature a standard replaceable CR2032 coin-cell battery that Apple says can power an AirTag for an entire year. The battery in an AirTag can be removed by pushing down and twisting the AirTag's back-plate, a fairly straightforward and easy process.
However, the easy battery replacement process has prompted concerns that a child could access the battery and potentially pose a safety risk to themselves. As reported by Gizmodo, concerns are high enough to have caused major Australian retailer Officeworks to temporarily pull AirTags from its shelves.
The retailer hasn't confirmed the exact reason, although the report notes that multiple Reddit users have said that an Officeworks representative confirmed the retailer's concerns over child safety.
"Staff at the counter could see on their system that they had some in stock, and one staff member even remembered selling them on Friday, but they couldn’t find them today," the user wrote in a post.
They went onto say that an Officeworks representative told them that the AirTags were removed due to safety concerns, specifically regarding how easy it is for the button-cell battery to be removed by a child.
Furthermore, in a statement given to Gizmodo, Apple preemptively confirmed that the battery replacement process is at the center of the retail chain's decision to pull AirTags from its shelf temporarily.
"AirTag is designed to meet international child safety standards, including those in Australia, by requiring a two step push-and-turn mechanism to access the user-replaceable battery," an Apple representative said in an email to Gizmodo Australia.
"We are following the regulations closely and are working to ensure that our products will meet or exceed new standards, including those for package labelling, well ahead of the timeline required."
Officeworks says that AirTags will stay off its shelves until "further guidance is provided from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission," which happens to be the same authority currently investigating Apple over claims of anti-competitive market behavior.
Australian regulations require that any consumer good that features a battery compartment that's accessible to the consumer, whether or not the battery is intended to be replaced, must "be designed to ensure the compartment is resistant to being opened by young children." Regulations also state that the battery compartment must feature "screws or similar fasteners used to secure the door."
AirTags don't feature any screws visible to the consumer. However, to access the battery compartment, the user must first press down and twist the back plate. So, while there are definite concerns, it's unlikely AirTags violates any direct regulatory clause. Instead, it's likely that a lack of clarity regarding how Apple's AirTags fit with the existing regulations has caused the retailer to pull them.
The highly-anticipated Epic Games vs. Apple trial kicked off today in a federal court in Oakland, California, with lawyers for both companies delivering opening remarks before District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
Lawyers for Epic Games attempted to paint the App Store as anti-competitive and monopolistic, noting that developers are forced to use Apple's in-app purchase system, and thus pay Apple a 30% commission on sales. (The rate drops to 15% for subscriptions after the first year and for qualifying developers who sign up for Apple's new Small Business Program and earn less than $1 million per calendar year in net revenue.)
Epic Games described the App Store as a "walled garden" and presented emails from current and former Apple executives like Steve Jobs, Phil Schiller, Craig Federighi, Eddy Cue, and Scott Forstall in an attempt to prove this claim.
Epic Games wants Apple to be forced to allow third-party app stores on iOS and to let developers offer direct payment systems, but Apple argued that a single, highly-curated App Store is necessary to protect the security, privacy, reliability, and quality that customers have come to expect from the company.
"Epic wants us to be Android, but we don't want to be," said Apple lawyer Karen Dunn, referring to the ability to sideload apps outside of the Google Play store on Android devices. "Our consumers don't want that either," she added.
At the time, Apple said Epic Games "took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users," adding that it would "make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return Fortnite to the App Store." Epic Games has refused to cooperate, however, and Fortnite remains unavailable on the App Store.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney testified at the trial today, saying that by introducing the direct payment option, he wanted consumers to see that Apple exercises "total control" over iOS and software available on the platform.
The trial is expected to continue for a total of three weeks, with Apple's CEO Tim Cook and other executives expected to testify.
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