It's been a few months since the last sale on App Store and iTunes gift cards, but this week both Costco and Sam's Club have debuted new sales for anyone who has been waiting to save on iTunes credit. In each sale, you can get the $100 iTunes gift card for just about $85, which matches the solid 15 percent discount on iTunes gift cards occasionally seen at other retailers.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Of course, for both Costco and Sam's Club you'll need to be part of each respective retailer's membership program to see the discounts. At Costco you can get the $100 iTunes gift card for $84.49, and it'll be delivered in the form of an e-mail within a few hours of purchase. The sale will last through April 21, 2019, and you can find more information on Costco's membership program here.
At Sam's Club, you can get the $100 iTunes gift card for $84.47, but the caveat is that this comes in the form of a $25 4-card multipack, not a single $100 gift card. The multipack will also have to be physically shipped, but if you're near a Sam's Club retail location you have a chance to buy the gift cards on sale in person as well. Like Costco, this sale ends on April 21, 2019, and you can find more information on the membership program at Sam's Club here.
Deals on iTunes gift cards provide great opportunities to stock up your Apple ID with credit for iTunes Movies rentals, iBooks purchases, and even pay for your Apple Music, Netflix, or Hulu subscriptions. So be sure to visit Costco and Sam's Club before each deal expires on Sunday, and head to our full Deals Roundup for more details on the latest sales and bargains happening this week.
Two years after Apple sued Qualcomm over $1 billion in unpaid royalty rebates and anticompetitive patent licensing practices, the tech heavyweights are set to face off in a San Diego courtroom. The trial begins today with jury selection.
Apple manufacturers Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron, and Compal, whose complaints have been merged with Apple's, allege that they have collectively overpaid Qualcomm approximately $9 billion in royalties, a figure that could be tripled under antitrust laws to $27 billion, according to The New York Times.
Apple argues that Qualcomm should also repay $3.1 billion associated with patents whose rights are exhausted, the report adds.
Apple in January 2017:
For many years Qualcomm has unfairly insisted on charging royalties for technologies they have nothing to do with. The more Apple innovates with unique features such as Touch ID, advanced displays, and cameras, to name just a few, the more money Qualcomm collects for no reason and the more expensive it becomes for Apple to fund these innovations.
Qualcomm in turn estimates that Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron, and Compal owe more than $7.5 billion in unpaid royalties. Qualcomm also argues that Apple should be held liable for a doubled penalty of at least $15 billion.
Qualcomm in April 2017:
Apple is the world's most profitable seller of cellular devices. But as a late-comer to the cellular industry, Apple contributed virtually nothing to the development of core cellular technology. Instead, Apple's products rely heavily on the cellular inventions of Qualcomm and others. Apple's iPhones and other products enjoy enormous commercial success, but without lightning-fast cellular connectivity—enabled in large part by Qualcomm's inventions—Apple's iPhones would lose much of their consumer appeal.
Apple already won a preliminary judgment ordering Qualcomm to pay nearly $1 billion in withheld rebates last month. Qualcomm has also faced scrutiny from antitrust regulators in multiple countries, including the United States, where an FTC lawyer said evidence of misconduct is "overwhelming."
"The evidence is overwhelming that Qualcomm engaged in exclusionary conduct, and the effects of Qualcomm's conduct, when considered together, are anticompetitive," said FTC lawyer Jennifer Milici, during closing arguments in the FTC vs. Qualcomm trial in January, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Amidst the legal battle, Apple dropped Qualcomm as a supplier of cellular modems starting with last year's iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, with rival chipmaker Intel fulfilling all orders for those devices.
"I'm already 69 years old. I hope to pass down my 45 years of experience to young people," said Gou on the sidelines of an event in Taipei on Monday. "That's the goal I set up – let young people learn sooner and take over my position sooner. Then I have more time to make long-term planning for the company."
While it appears that Gou will soon resign as Foxconn chairman, he hopes to remain involved in larger strategic decisions.
Gou, 69, founded Foxconn in Taiwan in 1974. The company has grown to become the world's largest electronics manufacturer, assembling well-known products ranging from iPhones and iPads to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
Last week, Apple announced that Foxconn and over two dozen other companies in it supply chain have committed to using 100 percent renewable energy when manufacturing Apple products.
Despite the fact that Disney+ will compete with Apple's upcoming TV+ streaming service, Iger said the business of direct-to-consumer television or movies is "still very small" to Apple. At this point, Iger doesn't believe the situation is "problematic," but said it is one he will "continue to monitor."
Transcript via CNBC:
DAVID FABER: The Apple board. It's another thing I just was curious about. Can you stay on that board?
BOB IGER: Well, obviously, when you sit on the board of a publicly traded company, you have to be very mindful or your responsibilities, fiscal responsibilities to the shareholders of that company, and I have been. When the business of direct-to-consumer or television or movies is discussed on the Apple board, I recuse myself from those discussions. There aren't many of them. It's still very small business to Apple. And I'm not at the point where I, you know, I believe it's problematic, but it's something that I have to continue to monitor.
Apple named Iger to its board of directors in 2011 under the leadership of CEO Tim Cook.
Disney+ will feature both new and existing movies and series from Disney and its brands, including Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic. It will also offer series from Fox, including all 30 seasons of The Simpsons.
The service is slated to launch November 12 for $6.99 per month in the United States, with a worldwide rollout in major countries expected by 2021. Disney+ will be accessible on the web, smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, media players like Roku, game consoles like the PS4, and likely the Apple TV.
Apple TV+ will feature original movies and TV shows with well-known directors, producers, and actors such as Jennifer Aniston and Steven Spielberg. The service will be accessible through Apple's TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and the Mac starting in the fall, but Apple has yet to reveal pricing.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Jackery to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Honda 290 Power Station, which provides 292Wh of power for camping, emergencies, outdoor activities, and more.
The HLS 290 Portable Power Station is a Honda licensed product that's been designed with outdoor enthusiasts in mind, but it's also super useful to have on hand for power outages.
Priced at $350 on Amazon, the HLS 290 is one of Jackery's largest portable power stations, equipped with two USB-A ports for charging iOS devices and other small electronics, an AC port for charging a laptop or any other device, a 12V input, and a port for connecting an optional solar panel, which is sold separately.
There's a handy little LCD on the front that lets you know how much charge is left on the battery, and it comes with a handle so you can carry it where it needs to go, from the beach to a night out camping. The HLS 290 Power Station weighs just 6.6 pounds and measures in at nine inches by 7.8 inches by 5.2 inches.
Jackery says the HLS 290 Power Station has enough juice to charge a laptop up to four times, a tablet up to 14 times, and a smartphone up to 17 times. It's able to power a 32-inch TV for over three hours, and a mini fridge for over three hours. Operation is silent, so it's not noisy like a gas-powered generator.
The HLS 290 Power Station can be recharged in multiple ways, including a solar panel (sold separately and coming soon, a carport, or an AC wall outlet. According to Jackery, it takes eight hours to recharge over AC or with the car adapter or 10 hours with a 50W solar panel. It has a shelf life of three to six months before the battery needs to be recharged, so you can also keep it around in case of emergency.
We have two of Jackery's Honda Power Stations to give away. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (April 12) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 19. The winners will be chosen randomly on April 19 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Apple designed a Smart Keyboard Folio for the 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, but while it's super slim, it's also expensive and with flat keys that some iPad users might not like.
Luckily, third-party companies like Zagg and Logitech have come out with some alternate iPad Pro keyboards, and in today's video, we're comparing the Smart Keyboard Folio from Apple to two popular alternatives - the Slim Folio Pro from Logitech and the Slim Book Go from Zagg.
We tested keyboards for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but both Logitech and Zagg make variants for both iPad Pro models. Zagg's Slim Book Go is priced at $99 for the 11-inch model and $130 for the 12.9-inch model, while the Slim Folio Pro from Logitech is priced at $120 for the 11-inch model and $130 for the 12.9-inch model.
Both third-party keyboard options are cheaper than the Smart Keyboard Folio from Apple, which costs $179 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $199 for the 12.9-inch model, so you can save a decent amount of cash with a third-party option.
Apple's Smart Keyboard Folio is super slim and adds a minimal amount of bulk to the iPad Pro, and that thin profile is a feature that Logitech and Zagg haven't been able to match. The Slim Folio Pro and the Slim Book Go both add a considerable amount of bulk to the iPad Pro, doubling the weight of the device and making it a good deal thicker.
Zagg Slim Book Go
Of the two, the Slim Book Go from Zagg is the heftier model, but both are pretty bulky. If you're someone who prefers a device without a thick case on it, these keyboards may not be for you. There are, however, some benefits to these cases beyond price, such as the feel of the keyboard.
The Smart Keyboard Folio from Apple has flat, fabric covered keys that have little travel and don't feel much like a standard keyboard. Zagg and Logitech's solutions, though, are thicker and thus accommodate keys with more travel, a more satisfying press, and just a better overall feel.
The Slim Book Go from Zagg is designed to protect the entire iPad Pro, providing solid drop protection. The case itself is made from a hard plastic, while the keyboard has a cloth feel on the front and felt material surrounding the keys.
Zagg Slim Book Go
You can detach the keyboard cover from the case if you want, leaving just the case itself on the iPad. Zagg left a lot of space at the bottom of the keyboard on the Slim Book Go, so it's comfortable to rest your wrists, but when using it on your lap, it's wobbly.
That's not a problem in a situation where you're using it on a desk, and with the adjustable stand there are multiple viewing angles, something you don't get with Logitech's version. The keyboard is pleasant to type on, but there's no backlighting for the keys. It's not clear why, but there's no sleep/wake function in the cover, so shutting it won't turn off your iPad. Multi-device support is included, something not available in the Slim Folio Pro.
Logitech Slim Folio Pro
Logitech's Slim Folio Pro, unlike the Slim Book Go, is all one piece without a detachable keyboard option. It has a thick rubber frame that protects the iPad, and a single viewing angle for using while typing.
The Slim Folio Pro and the Slim Book Go both offer a better typing experience than the Smart Keyboard Folio for those who like more traditional keys, but we preferred the feel of the Slim Book Go a bit more because the keys have more travel and a more satisfying click. On the plus side, it's a bit less bulky and not as heavy, and it has backlit keys, a nice bonus feature.
Logitech Slim Folio Pro
Both the Slim Book Go and the Slim Folio Pro connect to the iPad Pro using Bluetooth, making the Smart Keyboard Folio the only keyboard accessory that uses the Smart Connector on the new iPad Pro models. Bluetooth isn't as convenient as the Smart Connector, but these keyboards don't need to be charged often and when they do, you can use USB-C.
So which should you choose? If you hate bulk, get the Smart Keyboard Folio or plan to remove these keyboard cases when not in use, something that can be a hassle.
If you want the best typing experience that's closest to a laptop and don't mind the thickness, choose the Zagg, but if you want something a bit slimmer with backlighting and more stability for on-lap use, choose the Logitech (and make sure to check out our full review). You can, of course, choose none of the above and opt for a much cheaper standalone Bluetooth keyboard.
Which iPad Pro keyboard do you prefer? Apple's, Logitech's, Zagg's, or something else? Let us know in the comments.
Foxconn is set to begin production of the iPhone X in India this July, according to a report by The Economic Times. Production will take place at Foxconn's Chennai plant in eastern India.
According to an official with knowledge of the company's plans, Foxconn hopes to step up production capacity and "diversify to even higher models going forward." Today's report sees Foxconn's plans to move some of its production outside of China begin to take shape, following the manufacturer's trial production of the iPhone X earlier this month.
News about Foxconn's plans to produce high-end iPhones in India emerged late last year. According to a Reuters report, Foxconn invested $356 million to expand an existing plant and take on the new iPhone production, creating as many as 25,000 jobs in the process.
Foxconn has been considering expanding its production plants in India as a way to diversify its supply chain away from China, where most of the Taiwan-based firm's facilities currently reside. Apple manufactures most of its iPhones through Foxconn, but the latter's growing India base provides security in the face of Apple's vulnerability to rising U.S.-China tensions over trade and technology.
Previously, Apple partnered with Wistron to produce iPhones in India, including the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s. When building iPhones in India, Apple is able to avoid import duties placed on imported smartphones and their components. More production in the country also helps Apple meet India's 30 percent local sourcing requirement that would allow Apple to open its own local retail stores.
Production of the iPhone X family in India appears to be part of Apple's revamped India strategy, which also includes better and longer-lasting retail deals with higher sales targets, the opening of official Apple retail stores in India, "overhauling" the company's relationship with independent retailers, and improving apps and services "aimed more closely at Indians." Due to the high price of iPhones in India, and other reasons, Apple has continually struggled in the country, leading to the new strategy.
Eight years after separating its Messenger service into a standalone app, and five years after removing messaging functionality completely from the central app, Facebook might be gearing up to reintegrate Messenger into the main Facebook app (via The Verge).
The news comes from app researcher Jane Manchun Wong, who found a rudimentary "Chats" section in the Facebook mobile app. Whereas before the Messenger button would cause you to leave Facebook and open the Messenger app, Wong discovered that Facebook appears to be testing a new "Chats" area in the app. As of now, this area only contains basic chat functionalities, and lacks reactions, call support, photo support, and more.
The change follows news that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants to integrate the company's three messaging services -- Facebook Messenger, Instagram messaging, and WhatsApp -- into one "underlying messaging infrastructure." Each app will continue to exist following this update, but they will become interoperable so that a Facebook user can send an encrypted message to a WhatsApp user, and vice versa.
According to Wong, this means that Facebook will also keep the separate Messenger app around even after it adds chat functionality back into the main Facebook app, because they will "serve different markets."
All of the Facebook messaging services integration is believed to be an effort to keep people within the Facebook ecosystem and away from rival texting apps like Apple's iMessage.
Update: Facebook has provided MacRumors with the following statement: "We are testing ways to improve the messaging experience for people within the Facebook app. Messenger remains a feature-rich, stand-alone messaging app with over a billion people using it monthly to connect with the people and businesses they care about most. We do not have any additional details to share at this time."
Skype has begun testing a feature on the iOS and Android beta versions of the company's app, allowing users to share their screens during a call (via The Verge). According to Microsoft, this will let users share a PowerPoint presentation with coworkers, browse dating apps with friends, or go online shopping with a family member.
To see the new addition, you must be part of the Skype Insider program for beta testers, which you can sign up for on the company's website. To get to screen sharing, beta testers can tap on the ellipsis icon during a call and select "Share Screen." Skype didn't give any indication about a wider launch for the feature.
Earlier this month, Skype increased the number of users that can be on the same audio or video group call to 50 (previously the max was 25). This update put Skype ahead of Apple's FaceTime for the number of users that can take part in a group call, since FaceTime supports a maximum of 32 people.
Disney today shared a first look at its upcoming Disney+ streaming service, providing new details on how it will work and what features will be included.
The dedicated Disney+ app, which will house Disney+ content, looks rather similar to other streaming television apps, such as Apple's own TV app and Netflix.
The screenshot shared by Disney CEO Bob Iger features a dark interface with individual categories for different Disney franchises, including standard Disney fare, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic, complete with a "Continue Watching" feature and recommendations.
Disney+ content will be available through the Disney+ app on web browsers, smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, and game consoles, essentially everywhere you can watch most streaming services. Deals have already been secured with Roku and Sony for a PS4 version of the app.
Individual profiles for each user in the household will be supported, and Disney plans to allow content to be downloaded for offline viewing. Disney will provide TV shows and movies in 4K HDR.
When Apple launches its TV+ service with its original content this fall and Disney launches Disney+, the two companies are set to become serious competitors, as both services will offer up exclusive content unavailable on other platforms.
Disney+ will house existing Disney content, but Disney is also developing new content for the streaming service. Some of the announced TV shows include "Falcon and Winter Soldier" based on the two Avengers characters, "WandaVision" with Wanda Maximoff and The Vision, a TV show based on "Monsters, Inc.," a TV show based on "High School Musical," a Frozen 2 documentary, a Star Wars series, a live-action version of "Lady and the Tramp," two projects featuring Marvel characters Loki and Hawkeye, and much more. All Pixar content will be on Disney+ the first year of launch, as will all Pixar theatrical shorts and all Star Wars films.
Disney may also be planning to offer bundled content, perhaps providing a discount for subscribers who purchase Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, but little detail was provided on Disney's bundling plans.
Disney plans to launch Disney+ on November 12, 2019, and it will be priced at $6.99 per month, which is much lower than other streaming services on the market. Disney is also offering a yearly subscription price of $69.99, which is even cheaper. Disney is planning to roll the service out to many other countries over the course of the next two years.
With its fall launch, Disney+ will be coming out right around the same time that Apple TV+ launches. Apple hasn't provided a specific launch date, but has said that the new streaming service will come out in the fall.
Update: In an interview with Bloomberg, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the Disney+ app will "in all likelihood be available through traditional app distributors, with Apple being one of them." There was no official announcement Disney about platforms beyond Roku and Sony because Disney hasn't "made deals with all of them yet."
Apple has introduced an extra confirmation step when App Store users purchase an app available on a subscription basis or tap to subscribe to a premium service in an app, making sure no accidental subscription purchases occur.
The new subscription feature was highlighted on Twitter by developer David Barnard this afternoon and appears to have been implemented recently.
With this new confirmation step, when you download an app with a subscription or tap on a subscription option in an app where the subscription feature is optional, you'll see a second subscription popup warning after initially confirming a purchase with Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad.
Whoa! Apple added an additional confirmation step for subscriptions. This new alert comes after you confirm with Touch ID/Face ID. I hope they address this in a more elegant way in iOS 13, but I’m thrilled Apple took a definitive step to curb scam subscriptions. 👏🏻 @pschillerpic.twitter.com/oktaEVdx0o
— David Barnard (@drbarnard) April 11, 2019
The popup warns that the subscription will continue unless canceled in the Settings app at least one day before a subscription period ends, requiring users to confirm the notice with an OK button or tap cancel to cancel the initiation of the subscription.
Adding a second confirmation screen to subscription purchases will thwart app developers who have been using nefarious tactics to trick users into purchasing subscriptions or making subscription costs and terms unclear.
Accidental subscription purchases have been an ongoing problem with Touch ID iPhones where a purchase could be made unintentionally when putting a finger on the Home button (such as when pressing to exit out of the App Store), but the new confirmation screen makes it clearer that you're initiating a recurring subscription on both Face ID and Touch ID iPhones.
Apple today shared additional videos in its ongoing Apple Watch tutorial series, highlighting health-related Apple Watch features that include fall detection and heart health notifications.
The two short videos are tutorials that are designed to walk Apple Watch Series 4 owners through enabling these features. Each one has quick step-by-step instructions detailing how to turn on settings in the Apple Watch app on the iPhone.
Fall detection is a feature that is enabled by default for those who are over 65, but younger Apple Watch Series 4 users must enable it manually. Fall detection uses the gyroscope and the accelerometer to detect a fall, and then it contacts emergency services.
Heart health notifications let you know when your heart rate is too low, too high, or if an irregular rhythm that looks like atrial fibrillation is detected.
Apple has shared several videos in its Apple Watch tutorial series so far, with the aim of introducing people to all of the features available in the Series 4 models.
After installing new firmware, Trådfri outlets can be added to the Home app and controlled alongside the rest of your HomeKit products.
Ikea sells the Trådfri smart plugs for just $9.99, which is much cheaper than other HomeKit-enabled smart plug options on the market. You will, however, need the accompanying Trådfri Gateway, a $30 hub that is required for all of Ikea's affordable smart home solutions including light bulbs, dimmers, motion sensors, and more.
The Trådfri outlets are larger than some other HomeKit-based outlets, but can be used sideways and will only take up a single socket. Multiple Trådfri accessories can be connected to the Trådfri Gateway.
You can get the Trådfri smart plugs and the Trådfri Gateway from Ikea. Ikea is rolling out its new software update and it should be available to customers in the U.S. now before expanding to other countries in the near future.
New discounts on a variety of Apple products have hit some of the major retailers this week, including sales on HomePod and the older 2017 models of the iMac and MacBook Pro.
HomePod
For the HomePod, Costco is now providing its members a chance to save even further on the recently discounted smart speaker, priced at $279.99 in Costco retail stores, down from $299.00 on Apple's website and all other major retailers at the moment.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You'll have to be a Costco member to purchase the HomePod, and if you opt for shipping a charge of $4.99 will be added onto the order. You can purchase the HomePod in both White and Space Gray from Costco, and it's unclear how long the discount will last.
iMac
For the iMac, both Amazon and B&H Photo are discounting select models of Apple's desktop computer from mid 2017. This includes the 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, with savings of as much as $400 off the computer. The prices listed below are the best available online for each respective model, and start as low as $1,099.00 for the 21.5-inch iMac.
Mid 2017 Retina iMacs
21.5-inch iMac, 3.0 GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB - $1,099.00, down from $1,299.00 [Amazon / B&H]
21.5-inch iMac, 3.4 GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB Fusion - $1,297.00, down from $1,499.00 [Amazon]
27-inch iMac, 3.4 GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB Fusion - $1,593.00, down from $1,799.00 [Amazon]
27-inch iMac, 3.5 GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB Fusion - $1,699.00, down from $1,999.00 [Amazon / B&H]
27-inch iMac, 3.8 GHz, 8GB RAM, 2TB Fusion - $1,899.00, down from $2,299.00 [Amazon / B&H]
MacBook Pro
Amazon is also discounting the 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2017 by $200 (this is the model without a Touch Bar). There are two models on sale, the first of which has 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD priced at $1,099.99, down from $1,299.99.
The second MacBook Pro on sale has 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD for $1,299.99, down from $1,499.99. Although they lack a Touch Bar, these MacBook Pros include a Force Touch trackpad, up to 10 hours of battery life, and two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports.
If you're on the hunt for even more discounts and bargains, be sure to head over to our full Deals Roundup.
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets, or ACM for short, today announced that it will investigate whether Apple abuses its position in the App Store by, for example, giving preferential treatment to its own apps.
ACM says the investigation will initially focus on Apple because the majority of anticompetitive allegations it has received from other companies and developers have been about the App Store. More specifically, the investigation will revolve around Dutch apps for "news media" available in the App Store.
ACM board member Henk Don:
To a large degree, app providers depend on Apple and Google for offering apps to users. In the market study, ACM has received indications from app providers, which seem to indicate that Apple abuses its position in the App Store. That is why ACM sees sufficient reason for launching a follow-up investigation, on the basis of competition law.
However, the antitrust watchdog stresses that Apple is innocent unless proven guilty, and also encourages developers to come forward if they experience similar problems with Google's Play Store.
ACM launched the investigation upon completion of its market study that explores the influence of app stores. For numerous apps, the watchdog found that no realistic alternatives to the App Store and Play Store exist, potentially giving Apple and Google the opportunity to set unfair conditions.
On the one hand, Apple and Google have an interest in offering many different apps from app providers in their app stores. On the other hand, however, Apple and Google are app providers in their own right, too. So their apps compete with those of other market participants. These competing interests may pose antitrust problems.
ACM cites unnamed developers who say they do not always have a fair chance against Apple's and Google's preinstalled apps on mobile devices, must use Apple's and Google's in-app purchase mechanisms for digital goods and services, have difficulties communicating with Apple and Google, and more.
The investigation's initial focus on Dutch news apps is a rather narrow one, especially considering that Apple News is not yet available in the Netherlands. But, the premise seems to be that Apple News is a preinstalled app while other news providers must go through the App Store and pay Apple's "tax."
As the ACM notes, apps have become an increasingly important part of daily life, so it will be interesting to see how these investigations play out and how they impact the future of the App Store and Play Store.
Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Bloomberg, which first reported the news.
Update: In a statement issued to CNN, Apple said it is "confident" the probe "will confirm all developers have an equal opportunity to succeed in the App Store."
Apple today announced it has nearly doubled the number of suppliers that have committed to run their Apple-specific production on 100 percent renewable energy, bringing the total number to 44.
The list of newly committed suppliers includes, among others, Gorilla Glass maker Corning, Face ID module provider Finisar, A-series chipmaker TSMC, Apple Watch manufacturer Quanta Computer, AirPods assembler Luxshare, and iPhone assemblers Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron.
Apple now expects to add five gigawatts of renewable energy to its supply chain by 2020, exceeding its goal of four gigawatts in that timeframe.
Apple says that manufacturing makes up 74 percent of its carbon footprint. To address this, Apple and its suppliers have invested in or procured a mix of clean energy technology, including wind and solar. Apple has also further expanded its supplier education and support initiatives.
Apple also announced that it has allocated all of its $2.5 billion in green bonds, the largest amount of any U.S. corporation. Through this, the company says it has contributed to 40 environmental initiatives around the world, including projects Apple has created to cover its entire electricity load.
Apple's Green Bonds also support environmental research and innovation. Projects include solar rooftops in Japan, an aquifer to conserve water in Oregon, and the creation of a custom alloy made of 100 percent recycled aluminum that is now found in the latest MacBook Air and Mac mini.
Amazon has thousands of employees around the world that listen to voice recordings captured in the homes of Amazon Echo owners, reports Bloomberg.
Voice recordings are captured when the Alexa wake word is spoken and then a subset of those recordings are listened to, transcribed, annotated, and added back into the software as part of Amazon's effort to help Alexa better respond to voice commands. Amazon has facilities for Alexa improvement in places that range from Boston to Costa Rica, India, and Romania.
Seven people familiar with Amazon's review process spoke to Bloomberg and revealed some insider details on the program that may be concerning to Echo users.
While much of the work has been described as "mundane," employees have sometimes come across more private recordings, such as a woman singing off key in the shower or a child screaming for help. Amazon employees have internal chat rooms where they share files when help is needed parsing a word or, more concerning, when an "amusing recording" is found.
Two workers told Bloomberg that they've heard recordings that are upsetting or potentially criminal, and while Amazon claims to have procedures in place for such occurrences, some employees have been told it's not the company's job to interfere.
Sometimes they hear recordings they find upsetting, or possibly criminal. Two of the workers said they picked up what they believe was a sexual assault. When something like that happens, they may share the experience in the internal chat room as a way of relieving stress. Amazon says it has procedures in place for workers to follow when they hear something distressing, but two Romania-based employees said that, after requesting guidance for such cases, they were told it wasn't Amazon's job to interfere.
Alexa users have the option to disable the use of their voice recordings for improvements to the service, but some may not know that these options exist. Amazon also does not make it clear that actual people are listening to the recordings.
According to Bloomberg, recordings sent to employees who work on Alexa don't include a user's full name or address, but an account number, first name, and the device's serial number are associated with the recording.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Amazon said that an "extremely small" number of Alexa voice recordings are annotated and that there are measures in place to protect user identity.
We take the security and privacy of our customers' personal information seriously. We only annotate an extremely small sample of Alexa voice recordings in order [to] improve the customer experience. For example, this information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone.
We have strict technical and operational safeguards, and have a zero tolerance policy for the abuse of our system. Employees do not have direct access to information that can identify the person or account as part of this workflow. All information is treated with high confidentiality and we use multi-factor authentication to restrict access, service encryption and audits of our control environment to protect it.
It is standard practice to use some recordings for product improvement. Apple has employees who listen to Siri queries to make sure the interpretation of a request lines up with what the person said. Recordings are stripped of identifiable information, however, and stored for six months with a random identifier.
Google too has employees who are able to access audio snippets from Google Assistant for the purpose of improving the product, but Google, like Apple, removes personally identifiable information and also distorts audio.
Amazon does not appear to be removing all personally identifiable information, and while the Echo is meant to collect audio only when a wake word is spoken, the employees who spoke to Bloomberg said they often hear audio files that appear to have started recording with no wake word at all.
Alexa users concerned with the data that's being collected and used by Amazon should make sure to enable all privacy features and uncheck the option for letting Amazon save Echo recordings. Additional details on how Amazon uses the voice recordings it collects can be found in the original Bloomberg article.
Update: Amazon has provided the following statement to MacRumors as clarification: "By default, Echo devices are designed to detect only your chosen wake word (Alexa, Amazon, Computer or Echo). The device detects the wake word by identifying acoustic patterns that match the wake word. No audio is stored or sent to the cloud unless the device detects the wake word (or Alexa is activated by pressing a button)."
Apps designed for the Mac often don't receive as much attention as apps made for iOS devices, so we have a series here at MacRumors that's designed to highlight useful and interesting Mac apps that are worth checking out and potentially investing in.
This month's picks include apps for sharing files, organizing web apps, monitoring internet traffic, fixing repeating keys on a broken MacBook keyboard, and quickly pairing your AirPods to your Mac. Many of the apps we're highlighting this month were chosen by our MacRumors forum members.
CloudApp (Free) - CloudApp is a handy app that lets you share files, screenshots, videos, screen recordings, and more, via the cloud. You can drag a file into CloudApp and it'll be uploaded to the cloud and copied to your clipboard so you can paste the file into Slack, email, Messages, or elsewhere. You can annotate screenshots and files, making it a great way to communicate when collaborative editing is needed. CloudApp is free, but premium tiers with additional features are available starting at $10/month or $8/month on an annual plan.
Little Snitch ($45) - Little Snitch monitors all of the traffic on your Mac so you can see what apps are sending data, and where. It basically makes all of your Internet connections visible and gives you control over them, letting you approve or restrict what's being sent from your Mac. There's a world map so you can see where connections are being made, and there are modes for getting instant notifications or letting it run in the background.
Stack (Free) - Stack is a Mac app that's sort of an internet launchpad for web apps, describing itself as an "internet OS." It houses all the websites you might want to keep tabs on like Facebook, Messenger, Gmail, Slack, and more, keeping them in one convenient place. You can organize your different apps into categories, and the app provides unified notifications so you don't miss anything.
Unshaky (Free) - Unshaky is not an Apple-sanctioned app, and that's because it's meant to fix a major Apple problem - the faulty MacBook Pro keyboard. Unshaky is designed for people who have keys where the letters repeat, as it's able to detect the extra presses and eliminate them. We haven't tried this app ourselves because we don't have a keyboard with repeating letters, but it has positive reviews as a temporary fix from those who are having issues. If you have a repeating key you'll need to get a repair from Apple, but this can help while you wait.
AirBuddy ($5) - AirBuddy is a Mac app for the AirPods. It lets you pair your AirPods to your Mac the same way you do on your iPhone - just by opening up the AirPods case next to your Mac and then clicking. It's super simple, but if you use your AirPods with your Mac often, it's invaluable. A Batteries Notification Center widget on Mac displays AirPods battery life, charging case battery life, and the battery life of your Mac. The AirBuddy app works with Macs that support Bluetooth LE, which is all modern machines.
If you have a favorite must-have Mac app that we haven't highlighted yet, let us know in the comments, and we might feature it in a future video. Many of this month's app picks came directly from recommendations from our forum members, and it's these recommendations that have helped make this series useful.