MacRumors

The Federal Trade Commission recently filed a complaint against popular ride-hailing app Uber for posting inflated yearly wages on various job-seeking websites, which "enticed numerous consumers to become Uber drivers" under false pretenses, according to the FTC. Uber isn't fighting the allegations placed against it, and has instead this week quickly agreed to a settlement deal in the way of paying $20 million as equitable relief to the FTC.

As reported by BuzzFeed News, the FTC's complaint explains that from May 2014 through August 2015 Uber published a statement on its website which included various annual earning rates for its drivers. In the post the company mentioned that for UberX drivers the "median income is more than $90,000/year/driver in New York and more than $74,000/year/driver in San Francisco."

According to the FTC, the truth is that the median income is $29,000 less than Uber claimed in New York, and $21,000 less in San Francisco, specifically when looking at hours locked to a standard 40-hour work week. In total, less than 10 percent of drivers in New York and San Francisco have reached Uber's $90,000 and $74,000 yearly income claim, respectively.

"To induce individuals to become Uber Drivers, Uber has advertised and marketed the earning potential of its Drivers on Craigslist, its company website, and other advertising and marketing media. Uber has publicized high annual and hourly earnings to entice consumers to become Uber Drivers. However, once Drivers have begun to receive their paychecks, Drivers have discovered their actual earnings were substantially less than Uber has claimed."

The complaint specifically mentions a collection of job postings published by Uber in cities across the United States, all backing Uber's inflated earnings rate that the FTC sees as a false tactic to get drivers onto the service.

Uber also has "made numerous claims" regarding the cheap cost and unlimited mileage of its Vehicle Solutions Program, which lets drivers buy or lease a car they can use to drive for Uber. According to the FTC's complaint, the company "has had no basis with which to make these claims," saying that Uber has had zero oversight or even monitored the terms and conditions of any driver entering into the Vehicle Solutions Program.

"Further, Drivers in Uber's Vehicle Solutions Program - which has connected Drivers with subprime auto companies and dealers - have in many instances received worse than industry average rates, made payments for hundreds of dollars more per month than advertised, and entered into leases imposing costs for mileage."

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has acknowledged the FTC's complaint in the settlement agreement, and a company spokesperson said the following in a statement:

“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with the FTC,” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement. “We’ve made many improvements to the driver experience over the last year and will continue to focus on ensuring that Uber is the best option for anyone looking to earn money on their own schedule.”

The ride-hailing company has hit a few rocky patches over the past few months, most recently hearing concerns from users after an update introduced background GPS tracking that follows a rider up to five minutes after their trip ends and even if the app is closed. A company spokeswoman told BuzzFeed News in December that one of the biggest advantages of the five minute tracking update is that it "could also help customer service representatives investigate complaints or safety issues" raised by users following a ride.

Apple recently removed its first-generation iPod nano replacement program from its support website, over five years after it started.

MacRumors contacted a few Apple Authorized Service Providers that confirmed the program has indeed ended, and we were advised to contact Apple directly. Apple's support team initially informed us the program is no longer in place, but a senior AppleCare advisor honored the program after we escalated our request.

In other words, if you still have a twelve-year-old iPod nano, you may be in luck still, but it could take some persistence to reach the right person.

The replacement program was launched worldwide in November 2011 after Apple determined that, in very rare cases, the battery in the first-generation iPod nano may overheat and pose a safety risk. The manufacturing defect is limited to iPod nano models sold between September 2005 and December 2006.

Apple and Amazon have agreed to cease all exclusivity obligations previously put in place between the two companies regarding the supply and distribution of audiobooks through iTunes and Audible (via Reuters). The partnership between the two companies previously incited a complaint from the German Publishers and Booksellers Association in 2015 centering around the potential for a monopoly in the European audiobook industry by the two powerhouse companies.

Now, competition is expected to be boosted and the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office are welcoming the decision made by Apple and Amazon to end their exclusive distribution deal of Audible audiobooks on iTunes, meaning other companies can now distribute audiobooks on Apple's popular digital marketplace. Simultaneously, Audible can now place its audiobooks on other digital marketplaces for users to download.

On Thursday, the German Federal Cartel Office said it has officially closed its investigation because "there was no further reason to continue."

"The European Commission welcomes an agreement to end all exclusivity obligations concerning audiobook supply and distribution between Amazon's subsidiary Audible and Apple," the EU competition authority said in a statement.

"With the deletion of the exclusivity agreement Apple will now have the opportunity to purchase digital audiobooks from other suppliers," Andreas Mundt, president of the German cartel office, said in a statement.

Back in 2015, the German Publishers and Booksellers Association began its complaint by saying that Apple and Amazon were "abusing their dominant market position" with the audiobook deal. In total, more than 90 percent of all audiobook downloads in Germany are made through Amazon's Audible service, or via iTunes, making the pairing of the two companies particularly troublesome in the eyes of the association.

According to the German Cartel Office's president, Andreas Mundt, the end of the exclusivity deal "will enable a wider range of offer and lower prices for consumers." The deal's termination touches all markets that Apple and Amazon previously had exclusive audiobook coverage over, not just those in Europe.

The audiobook case differs from Apple's long-running e-book price-fixing lawsuit, which finally reached an end last year and saw the company forced to pay a $450 million settlement. The case began in 2014 when Apple was found guilty of conspiring with publishers to inflate the prices of e-books, with the $450 million settlement reached in March of 2016. Specifically, the amount was broken down with $400 million paid out to e-book customers, $20 million to the states, and $30 million in the form of legal fees.

Encrypted email provider ProtonMail has launched its own onion address, allowing users to access the service over the Tor anonymizing network (via TechCrunch).

The Swiss-based email account provider, which has more than 2 million users, said the measure was aimed at defending against state-sponsored censorship, and pointed to recent moves around the world to block encrypted communications and expand surveillance.

ProtonMail said it was worried about increased attacks on online privacy, such as encryption messaging app Signal being blocked in Egypt, and the UK passing expansive surveillance legislation which mandates tracking of web activity.

The service also reported a bump in registrations following President-Elect Donald Trump's election win, with web users said to be seeking a non-U.S. based secure email provider in case of a broad expansion of online surveillance activity.

"Given ProtonMail's recent growth, we realize that the censorship of ProtonMail in certain countries is inevitable and we are proactively working to prevent this," said co-founder Andy Yen in a statement on the launch. "Tor provides a way to circumvent certain Internet blocks so improving our compatibility with Tor is a natural first step."

ProtonMail can now be reached over the Tor network directly using the onion address https://protonirockerxow.onion. The provider has also posted instructions on how to access the site on iOS devices, although it is currently looking into problems with access via the free Onion Browser app.

ProtonMail is a free download for iPad and iPhone on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Netflix added over a third more subscribers than expected in the last quarter of 2016, the streaming video service revealed yesterday. According to its latest Q4 letter to shareholders, Netflix signed up 7.1 million new subscribers worldwide, almost two million more than analysts expected, despite price raises during the quarter.

The company put the boost down to the success of original shows like season 3 of Black Mirror and British drama The Crown which have garnered strong global followings. Notably, the company said millions of U.S. subscribers had tuned in to watch dubbed and subtitled versions of Brazilian series 3%, making it the first Portuguese-language TV show to travel meaningfully beyond Latin America and Portugal.

Internet video is a global phenomenon. Amazon Prime Video expanded recently to match our territory footprint, while YouTube remains far larger than either of us in terms of global video enjoyment minutes. Video consumption is growing on Facebook, and Apple is rumored to be adding video to its music service.

...The BBC has become the first major linear network to announce plans to go binge-first with new seasons, favoring internet over linear viewers. We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC. In short, it’s becoming an internet TV world, which presents both challenges and opportunities for Netflix as we strive to earn screen time.

Netflix said it planned to release more than 1,000 hours of original programming this year, up from 600 hours in 2016. It also said it had recently signed a deal with comedian Jerry Seinfeld to stream Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee as well as two new stand-up specials and other shows he will develop.

Netflix announced earnings of 15 cents per share and revenue of $2.48 billion, beating Wall Street expectations of earnings at 13 cents per share. Netflix rose as much as 8.2 percent in after-hours trading following the earnings report, adding nearly $5 billion to the company's stock market value.

Lite-On Semiconductor is to provide integrated chip components for the next-generation "iPhone 8" that will support fast wireless charging, according to a new report out today.

According to Chinese-language paper Commercial Times, the Taiwan-based maker of discrete and analog IC components will supply the bridge rectifiers necessary to maintain efficiency in wireless power transmission and reduce thermal issues.

Lite-On Semi has reportedly obtained half of the orders for GPP bridge rectifiers that will be used in the wireless charger for the upcoming iPhones, the report cited industry sources as saying.

The semiconductor company's share price on the Taiwan Stock Exchange rallied to its daily 10 percent limit on the news. Lite-On Semi responded to the report by saying it does not comment on customers or orders.

Apple is said to be working on long-range wireless charging technology, which is superior to many existing wireless charging methods since it doesn't require devices to be as close to a charging source or mat.

Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn is reportedly testing wireless charging modules intended for use in this year's "10th anniversary iPhone", while recent comments by possible partner Energous suggest Apple could use the company's over-the-air charging technology in a forthcoming smartphone.

The iPhone 8 is expected to introduce a radical redesign of Apple's iconic handset, with a glass body and edge-to-edge OLED display that includes an integrated Touch ID fingerprint sensor and front-facing camera. Three models – one OLED, two standard – have also been rumored to feature in Apple's next-gen flagship range.

(Via DigiTimes.)

Nintendo today officially announced Fire Emblem Heroes, its next planned mobile game launching on iOS and Android devices in the near future. Positioned as a tactical roleplaying game in the Fire Emblem universe, Fire Emblem Heroes will allow players to level up popular characters from the series and engage in strategic battles.

According to Nintendo, the game features a new, original storyline focusing on two warring kingdoms coming together in a bitter clash. Players take on the role of summoners, calling various historic Fire Emblem characters into epic fights.

Each battle map is an 8x6 square designed to fit on a smartphone's screen, where players will engage in tactical fights with multiple allies and enemies on the battlefield.

Simple controls are included, such as dragging an ally onto an enemy to attack, and a battle victory is achieved when every enemy on a given map is defeated. Nintendo says that despite the simple controls, Fire Emblem fans will find the battle intensity they've come to expect from the series.

Nintendo plans to make Fire Emblem Heroes free-to-play, with optional in-app purchases.

Fire Emblem Heroes will be available on the Google Play store starting on February 2. Nintendo did not announce a specific release date for iOS devices, saying only that the game will be "available soon."

Back in 2015, Nintendo promised to release five smartphone games by March of 2017. The company originally said its Fire Emblem game, along with a new game in the Animal Crossing series, would be released in the fall of 2016, but Nintendo did not make that deadline. While we now have concrete information on the planned Fire Emblem game, there is still no word on when we might see the promised Animal Crossing game for iOS.

Update: Nintendo has now confirmed that Fire Emblem Heroes will be available on iOS devices starting on February 2.

In December, Hulu announced a new feature for the streaming service that brought unique user profiles to families who share one account, with personalized profiles offering each user their own Watchlist, viewing history, and recommendations based on their favorite shows. Available at first only on Hulu.com, profiles are now available to all users who have Hulu on their iOS device, through the new version 4.10 update [Direct Link] on Hulu's iOS app (via TechCrunch).

Profiles will keep families organized as well as happy, according to Hulu, since everyone's favorite shows will no longer conflict with content they might not prefer that another member of the family watches frequently. There are also kid-centric accounts that parents can make without having to be concerned about mature content popping up in recommendations.

Users on single accounts will simply choose their existing name on the app's launch screen to continue watching their shows as normal, while multiple-user accounts can begin adding new family members and friends with the "Add Profile" button.

"Creating individual profiles enables you to keep track of all of your favorite shows and movies regardless of what other viewers in your household watch. Each profile created within the same Hulu account will have its ow personalized Watchlist, recommendations, and viewing history, allowing everyone to get the most out of their Hulu experience. You can also create profiles for your kids, where they can watch kid-friendly content without worrying about mature shows or movies being recommended to them."

There are limitations to user profiles, however, namely that users can still only stream content on one profile at a time, even after creating multiple profiles for each family member. The company said that this is due to various license agreements it has in place with each content creator.

Although it hasn't been updated with mobile steps yet, anyone interested in learning how to create a user profile can follow the steps on Hulu's help website to learn more about the feature on Hulu.com and TV/living room devices.

CBS this morning announced that its 24/7 sports radio channel, CBS Sports Radio, has now become a dedicated radio channel within Apple Music. Previously, users could listen to CBS Sports Radio on a variety of local radio channels, online, and on the Radio.com mobile app [Direct Link].

With its launch on Apple Music, users can now tune into the channel on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, Mac, PC, Android, and Sonos speakers. CBS Sports Radio is already being highlighted under the Featured Stations section of the Radio tab in Apple Music.

“The appetite for compelling and hard-to-ignore sports analysis, commentary and fan debate continues to grow across all audio platforms,” said Chris Oliviero, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS RADIO. “CBS Sports Radio delivers this to fans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so it’s an ideal next step to launch a channel on Apple Music, one of the most popular streaming services today, as yet another way we continue to meet the evolving desires of this passionate audience anywhere and everywhere.”

CBS launched the sports-centric radio station four years ago this month, with national coverage of the latest in sports news, commentaries on the latest games, and interviews with athletes, all "hosted by leading sports figures." The company updates its fans with a schedule on its Twitter account, but the consistent weekday lineup includes:

• 6:00-9:00 AM: Gio and Jones (featuring Gregg Giannotti and Brian Jones)
• 9:00 AM-12:00 Noon: Tiki and Tierney (featuring Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney)
• 12:00 Noon-3:00 PM: The Jim Rome Show
• 3:00-6:00 PM: The Doug Gottlieb Show
• 6:00-10:00 PM: The DA Show (featuring Damon Amendolara)
• 10:00 PM-2:00 AM: Ferrall on the Bench (featuring Scott Ferrall)
• 2:00-6:00 AM: After Hours with Amy Lawrence

The Radio section of Apple Music has seen a few updates throughout last year, ranging from the addition of new stations like Bloomberg Radio, to a dynamic Beats 1 banner, as well as updated artwork for the stock stations. Beats 1 radio host Zane Lowe has also been in the spotlight as a representative of Apple Music, including the announcement that he will be a keynote speaker at SXSW this March.