MacRumors

Apple customers unhappy with the butterfly keyboards used in MacBook models from 2015 on will be able to proceed with a lawsuit against the Cupertino company, as the judge overseeing the case has given it class action status [PDF]. The suit covers anyone who purchased a MacBook with a butterfly keyboard in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Washington, and Michigan.

As noted by The Verge, Judge Edward Davila certified the case on March 8, but the order was sealed until last week. This lawsuit will include those who bought a MacBook between 2015 and 2017, a MacBook Pro between 2016 and 2019, or a MacBook Air between 2018 and 2019.

The lawsuit was first filed in 2018, accusing Apple of concealing the fact that its 2015 and later MacBook models had keyboards prone to failure. Apple launched a repair program for all Macs with butterfly keyboards, but the complainants believe that the repair program does not serve as an effective fix because the replacement keyboards also use butterfly mechanisms that can fail again.

Apple attempted to get the lawsuit dismissed in 2019, but was unsuccessful. At the time, the judge said that Apple must face the claims that the repair program is inadequate or compensate customers for out-of-pocket repair expenses.

First introduced in 2015, Apple's butterfly keyboards were a huge failure. There were countless complaints from MacBook, ‌MacBook Pro‌, and ‌MacBook Air‌ owners who saw their keyboards break, sometimes more than once. There were issues with stuck and repeating keys or keys that refused to work at all, with the problem caused by key failure after exposure to dust and other small particulates.

Apple attempted to revise the butterfly keyboard several times to make it more durable and launched an extensive repair program for MacBook owners with faulty keyboards, but ultimately replaced the butterfly keyboard with a scissor switch keyboard starting with the 16-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2019.

The butterfly keyboard is no longer in use in any Mac product in Apple's lineup, but there are still plenty of people who are stuck with a MacBook manufactured from 2015 to 2019 that has a keyboard prone to failure. The lawsuit is seeking damages for violations of consumer protection laws in the seven included states, and while the plaintiffs are not yet asking for a nationwide certification, the law firm behind the lawsuit is running a survey to determine how many people might be affected.

In recent days, some Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD users have been receiving a "something went wrong" error message when attempting to load videos using the YouTube app on tvOS. The issue does not appear to be widespread, and it seems to arise only when a user is signed into their YouTube account on the Apple TV.

YouTube has confirmed on Twitter that it is investigating the issue and working on a fix, but in the meantime, some users in the Apple Support Communities have found success with a workaround that involves deleting and reinstalling the YouTube app on the Apple TV and then signing in with the "using my phone" option.

YouTube has not provided a timeframe for when the issue will be resolved.

In a report today focused on an unactivated temperature/humidity sensor in the HomePod mini, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman briefly mentioned that Apple has "been developing new speakers with screens and cameras."

This reporting suggests that Apple could be at least exploring the idea of new HomePod models with a display and camera to compete with the likes of Google's Nest Hub Max, Amazon's Echo Show, and Facebook's Portal, but Gurman cautions that "a launch isn't imminent," so there is no guarantee that Apple will release such a product.

Google's Nest Hub Max, for example, is equipped with a 10-inch touchscreen that can also be controlled by voice with Google Assistant. The Nest Hub Max allows users to view daily info like the weather and calendar appointments, stream video from Netflix and other sources with built-in Chromecast, play music through the stereo speaker system, make video calls using the built-in 6.5-megapixel camera, control smart home accessories, and more.

The Nest Hub Max also functions as a "smart digital picture frame" for photo albums, and it can display a live video feed from Nest cameras and video doorbells, making it suitable for a kitchen countertop or bedside table.

Apple's camera-equipped HomePod would presumably offer similar functionality like FaceTime video calling and HomeKit integration if it ever comes to market.

Earlier this month, Apple announced that it is discontinuing the full-size HomePod and shifting its focus to the HomePod mini. Gurman said that Apple still lacks a "unifying strategy" for the smart home market, with some people within the company apparently blaming the lack of progress on Siri's shortcomings compared to Google Assistant and Alexa. Whether new HomePod models with screens and cameras come to fruition remains to be seen.

MacRumors videographer Dan is regularly trying out new accessories for the iPhone, and in the latest MacRumors YouTube video, Dan highlights some of the latest ‌iPhone‌ accessories he’s been testing, many of which focus on ‌iPhone‌ photography and videography. There's a high-end microphone option, a new flash drive from SanDisk, mounts from Moment, and more.

• Belkin 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger ($140) - If you have an ‌iPhone‌ 12, an Apple Watch, and AirPods or another Qi smartphone, the Belkin 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger is a compact and functional charging option for all of your devices. It's expensive, but it's also one of the only Apple-certified ‌MagSafe‌ accessories.
• Rode Wireless Go II ($300) - If you need a high-quality microphone for vlogging or filming videos on your ‌iPhone‌, the Rode Wireless Go II is worth checking out. It's a wireless microphone that can record two sound sources simultaneously, and it interfaces with Macs and iOS devices. It has enough internal memory for more than 24 hours of recording, and up to seven hours of battery life.
• SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe ($45) - Available in 64, 128, and 256GB capacities, the new SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe has a Lightning connector and a USB-C connector to make it easy to transfer large files between your iOS devices, Macs, and PCs.
• Moment MagSafe Accessories ($19.99+) - Moment recently came out with a whole range of ‌MagSafe‌ cases and mounts, including the ProTripod mount and the Multi-Threaded mount, both of which are ideal for ‌iPhone‌ photographers and videographers. The Tripod mount, for example, has a cold shoe mount that works with microphones and other accessories. With the threaded mount, you can attach any accessory to an ‌iPhone‌, and Moment is using some seriously strong magnets to make sure your accessories stay attached.
• Labodet MagSafe Wallet ($327) - If you like the ‌MagSafe‌ Wallet from Apple but want a seriously higher end version, Labodet has ‌MagSafe‌ wallet options made from exotic leathers. At this price point, the wallet isn't an accessory for most people, but it does have a stronger magnet than Apple's option.
• Grovemade MagSafe Stand ($120) - If you have a standard $39 ‌MagSafe‌ charger from Apple, you might want to look into the Grovemade ‌MagSafe‌ Stand if you're looking for something to hold it up. At $120 it's super expensive, but it is a unique wood design you're not going to get with other charging options. You also need to supply your own ‌MagSafe‌ charging puck.

What are your favorite accessories for the ‌iPhone‌? Let us know in the comments and we may feature some of your suggestions in a future accessory video.

LG is looking to close down its entire smartphone division after failing to find a buyer for the ailing section of its business, according to the Korea Herald.

In January, LG announced that it was considering options for an exit from the smartphone industry, "including sale, withdrawal and downsizing." Though LG was once the world's third-largest smartphone maker and a sizeable competitor to Apple in the industry, the company's smartphone business has seen declining shipments and accrued losses of $4.5 billion over the past five years, leading to the need for an urgent re-evaluation of the division.

LG reportedly entered talks with Vietnam's Vingroup and automaker Volkswagen about purchasing the company's smartphone business, but negotiations did not lead to an agreement. Although the decision has yet to be confirmed, industry insiders report that LG is now likely to shut down its smartphone business instead of selling it. A source speaking to the Korea Herald explained:

LG reportedly had talks with others over the sale of the unit but apparently there was not much progress in their negotiations. It seems that selling its entire mobile business appears to be difficult at this moment, as is the partial sale of the unit.

With LG's internal restructuring plan now reaching its conclusion and no buyer having been found, the company is said to be leaning toward cutting its losses by closing the smartphone division fully.

LG's recently announced smartphone projects, such as "Rainbow" and "Rollable," are believed to have been scrapped, as the company looks to utilize its existing mobile workforce elsewhere in the business, such as the vehicle component solutions division.

LG is expected to publicize the decision about its smartphone business unit next month after a board meeting.

Apple will likely return to its usual September launch timeframe for at least some iPhone 13 models this year, with availability currently slated for the third week of the month, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.

In a research note shared with MacRumors, however, Ives said there is a chance that the launch could be pushed back to early October:

We have gotten more detailed reads from our supply chain checks for iPhone 13 builds with this next iPhone launch coming out of Cupertino in the late September timeframe. From a timing perspective, we believe the current iPhone 13 launch is slated for the third week in September as of now but could push out into early October based on continued product model tweaks.

Apple typically announces new iPhones in September, but the entire iPhone 12 lineup was unveiled in October last year, almost certainly due to production-related delays arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. With the supply chain now in better shape, it wouldn't be too surprising to see Apple revert to a September announcement.

Ives also continues to claim that the iPhone 13 lineup could feature a new 1TB storage option and a LiDAR Scanner across all four models, although TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the LiDAR Scanner will remain limited to the two Pro models.

Popular writing app Ulysses today received its 22nd major release, introducing new publishing features and additional options for users to customize the visual appearance of their writing environment.

As well as providing a focused writing environment, Ulysses offers ways to publish texts from within the app to various blogging platforms. Version 22 adds the ability to publish to Micro.blog, a social network for independent microblogs.

"Micro.blog offers a compelling alternative to the prominent social networks. People are in control of their content and can interact while there are no algorithms and ads. It's an independent platform with an awesome concept, and we're proud to have them," explains Marcus Fehn, Ulysses co-founder and creative head of the company.

The new Ulysses version also improves publishing to WordPress. Users can now update previously published posts from within Ulysses — to fix typos after an article has already gone live, for example. The developers have also updated Ulysses' preview theme to the new WordPress default Twenty Twenty-One, and generally improved the integration of the two apps.

In addition, Ulysses 22 increases the customizations available to users who want to personalize the look of their writing environment. There's a new option to choose colors for group icons (groups are used to organize texts, similar to Finder folders).

Meanwhile, headings can now be displayed in a larger size in the editor to make them easier to distinguish from the rest of the text. The latter is dependent on the editor theme, where the heading size can be fine-tuned. Ulysses 22 also ships with a new default theme that has larger headings in place.

In other improvements, Ulysses for iOS now remembers the scroll position when switching between several documents, while on iPad, a new setting has been added to keep the keyboard open in this situation.

Ulysses can be downloaded for free on the App Store, with version 22 rolling out to existing users today. After a 14-day trial period, a subscription is required to unlock the app on all devices. A monthly subscription costs $5.99, while a yearly subscription is $49.99.

Students can use Ulysses at a discounted price of $10.99 per six months. The discount is granted from within the app. Ulysses is also included in Setapp, the subscription-based service for Mac applications created by MacPaw.

Apple has told Australia's competition watchdog that it's "surprised" to hear that some developers have concerns over the App Store and the process in which apps are reviewed, rejected, or approved for distribution on the platform.

In September of last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched an investigation into Apple's ‌App Store‌ and Google's Play Store to examine the experiences of consumers, suppliers, and developers in Australia.

The commission is set to release an interim report of its findings based on customer and developers' submissions on March 31. In an apparent last-ditch effort to ease concerns highlighted in the report, Apple has provided the commission with some more information surrounding its ‌App Store‌ and App Review Process.

In a submission to the commission, Apple says that it's "surprised to hear that developers have legitimate concerns about their ability to engage with Apple in the app review process," and that it "invests significant time and resources in engaging with developers directly" to ensure the quality of apps on the platform.

Apple lays out in detail the process of how apps are reviewed for distribution on the store. It says the app review system is a "human-led process" and that all human reviewers ensure that apps "are reliable, perform as expected, respect user privacy, and are free of objectionable content."

Throughout the years, Apple has sped up how long apps submitted to the platform are under review. According to Apple, 73% of prospective apps submitted by developers to the platform are now reviewed within 24 hours, and at the end, a final verdict is delivered to developers on whether the app is approved or rejected.

If an app is rejected, Apple says it provides the developer with information on the reason for the rejection, and says that the app makers have an opportunity to "correspond with the Apple team member who reviewed the app." Furthermore, developers have a chance to appeal a rejection to the ‌App Store‌ Review Board.

Targeting concerns that Apple exploits the app review process to maintain a dominant position in certain areas, or categories for apps, Apple says its goal is to protect consumers from "fraudulent, non-functioning, malicious or scam apps." Central to the review process is the protection of consumers' privacy and security, according to Apple.

Developers also have the option to make a formal appeal to the App Store Review Board. This is comprised of senior app reviewers with a high degree of experience in reviewing apps. The Board will review the app afresh and provide the developer with their response.

The main purpose of the App Review process is to protect consumers from fraudulent, non-functioning, malicious or scam apps. Central to the App Review process is the protection of our consumers' privacy and security. That is why the App Review process is iterative and some apps may require multiple rounds of submission before Apple is satisfied the app meets all of the Guidelines.

The ACCC investigation will include submissions from Australian developers about their disapproval of the app review process or how they think they've been mistreated by the Cupertino-based tech giant. Apple rejects that sentiment, however, saying that Australian developers work directly with its Australian Developer Relations team to offer support and guidance on matters such as developing, designing, and maintaining apps.

Apple's HomePod mini includes a dormant hidden sensor that can measure temperature and humidity, potentially providing the means to power upcoming features that could arrive in a future software update, according to Bloomberg.

From Mark Gurman's report:

The company has internally discussed using the sensor to determine a room's temperature and humidity so internet-connected thermostats can adjust different parts of a home based on current conditions, according to people familiar with the situation. The hardware could also let the HomePod mini automatically trigger other actions, say turning a fan on or off, depending on the temperature.

[...]

Apple typically releases major HomePod software updates annually in the fall. It's unclear if or when Apple will switch on the temperature sensor, but its presence in HomePod mini units that have already sold suggests that this is just a matter of time. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.

The component measures 1.5 x 1.5mm and is buried in the bottom edge of the ‌HomePod mini‌'s plastic case, near the power cable. The sensor's existence was independently confirmed by iFixit after an inquiry by Bloomberg.

The sensor is made by Texas Instruments, which calls it a "HDC2010 Humidity and Temperature Digital Sensor," according to TechInsights, a firm that analyses components inside of electronics. According to the report, the component's placement suggests that its focus will lie in the external environment, rather than having any internal diagnostic role.

The part is situated relatively far from the device's main internal components, meaning it is designed to measure the external environment rather than the temperature of the speaker's other electronics.

This isn't the first time Apple has included a non-active component in a product and then enabled it at a later date via software. As Bloomberg notes, the 2008 iPod touch had a Bluetooth chip, but support for Bluetooth connectivity was enabled the following year via software.

If Apple decides to enable the sensor in the ‌HomePod mini‌, it could pave the way for a more integrated smart home strategy for HomeKit, which controls thermostats, lights, locks, plugs and other devices in the home.

As the report notes, it could also help Apple's ‌HomeKit‌ rival similar features already offered by competitors. For example. Amazon's latest Echo speakers include temperature sensors, while Google sells sensors under its Nest brand that can be placed around homes and connect to its thermostats to adjust the temperature of each room.

Opera today is releasing a substantial update to its two-and-a-half-year-old Opera Touch mobile browsing app.

Now titled simply "Opera," the revamped version features a "neater and flatter design" that aims to reflect its lightweight underpinnings and its status as a minimalist app that promises users a fast and secure browsing experience.

The revamp of the user interface in Opera also unveils a neater and flatter design that gives the browser a more refined appearance than before. The new-look replaces the diagonal background pattern, initially introduced into Opera Touch, with flat surfaces and removing shadows on bubbles and other elements.

New icons have been added in the bottom bar and the floating Fast Action button, which users can touch to access a radial menu and swipe through several one-handed actions with their thumb.

The browser also includes a feature called Flow that uses a QR code to securely link the iOS app with the Mac, allowing users to share links, notes, images, files, and other information over a secure and private connection, no logins required.

In addition, Opera comes with a built-in Ethereum wallet, built-in ad blocking, and protection against disguised online cryptocurrency mining, or "cryptojacking".

Opera says its iOS user base increased by over 65% in the 12 months to February, and believes that the growth has been partly thanks to Apple's decision to let users choose a default browser in iOS 14.

Opera is available for iPhone and iPad in several languages and can be downloaded directly from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Just hours after officially discontinuing the iMac Pro, Apple has also discontinued the 512GB and 1TB SSD configurations of the 4K 21.5-inch iMac.

Last month, both options became unavailable for purchase, although it was unclear at the time whether it was a temporary issue due to a component supply problem or if it was a permanent decision to no longer offer the options.

Apple has now removed both of the affected SSD options from the ‌iMac‌’s configuration page entirely, leaving a 256GB SSD and a 1TB Fusion Drive as the only options for customers.

An all-new redesigned iMac based on Apple silicon is expected to launch later this year, but a more specific launch timeframe isn't yet known.

Apple has been slapped with a near $2 million fine in the Brazilian state of São Paulo over violations of the Consumer Law Code due to the lack of a charger in the box for newer iPhones, Brazilian tech news outlet Tilt reports.

Procon-SP, São Paulo's consumer protection agency, decided to fine Apple following intense scrutiny over the decision to remove the power adapter from the boxes of iPhones. With the iPhone 12, Apple removed the power adapter from the box, saying that doing so will reduce carbon emissions and the use of rare-earth metals.

In December, the Brazilian agency informed Apple that selling an ‌iPhone‌ in the country without a charger in the box is a violation of the Consumer Defense Code. Apple responded to the agency's concerns by saying that most customers already have spare adapters and that providing another one in the box is unneeded.

Fernando Capez, Procon-SP's executive director, offered a stern warning to Apple following the fine, saying that it needs to respect and understand Brazilian consumer law and institutions. Alongside the lack of a charger, Apple is also being fined for misleading customers about the water resistance in iPhones.

Since the ‌iPhone‌ 7, iPhones have been water-resistant to different specifications. The more recent ‌iPhone‌ 12 series, for example, is certified for water submersion of up to 6 meters for as long as 30 minutes.

Procon-SP claims that Apple refused to repair devices for customers who had suffered water damage with their "water-resistant" iPhones, even though they're under warranty. Other charges brought forward to Apple are claims that it deliberately slows down older phones with iOS updates to encourage customers to purchase newer models.

Apple will have a chance to appeal to the $2 million fine. We've reached out to Apple for comment and will update this article if we hear back.

We're past the halfway point of March with no sign of an Apple media event, but that doesn't mean we won't be seeing an event or simply some product launches via press release in the coming weeks, as rumors of upcoming products continue to circulate.

Perhaps the biggest news topic this week was Justin Long of Apple's "Get a Mac" ad campaign from over a decade ago starring in a new campaign from Intel promoting Windows machines based on the company's processors as superior to Apple's new M1-based Macs. Check out our video above and read on below for details on these stories and more!

iPad Pro With Thunderbolt Port and Mini-LED Display Coming 'As Early As April'

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week reported that Apple plans to announce new iPads "as early as April," including new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.

Notably, Gurman claimed that the new iPad Pro models could feature a Thunderbolt port. This rumor certainly sounds plausible, as the new iPad Pro models are expected to be equipped with a faster A14X chip based on the M1 chip in the latest Macs, and the M1 chip supports Thunderbolt. And since Thunderbolt uses the USB-C connector design, the new iPad Pro models would still work with existing USB-C chargers and accessories.

As widely rumored, Gurman said Apple is looking to include Mini-LED backlighting on the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro at a minimum, suggesting that the display technology might be exclusive to the larger model.

Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo lent credence to this timeframe, claiming that mass production of Mini-LED iPads will begin in mid-to-late April. Kuo expects a new MacBook Air with a Mini-LED display and potentially a new iPad Air with an OLED display to follow in 2022.

Apple Event in April? Recapping the Latest iPad Pro, AirPods, and AirTags Rumors

It's been a whirlwind of a month for Apple rumors. First, we heard from leaker Jon Prosser that an Apple Event was planned for March 16, but that was later ruled out by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Once that date passed, Prosser and other leakers then suggested there would be an Apple Event on March 23, which is seemingly not happening either.

With attention now shifting to April for potential Apple announcements, we've put together a recap of the latest iPad Pro, AirPods, and AirTags rumors from sources like Gurman and well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Beyond new iPad models, new products rumored to be in Apple's pipeline include its long-awaited AirTags item trackers, a new Apple TV with a stronger gaming focus, new AirPods and AirPods Pro, and more Apple silicon Macs, but some of these products are not expected until the second half of 2021.

Former 'I'm a Mac' Actor Justin Long Throws Shade at M1 Macs in New Intel Ad Campaign

Justin Long, who starred in Apple's iconic "Get a Mac" ad campaign in the mid-2000s, has turned against the Mac in a new Intel ad campaign.

Intel's ad campaign attempts to poke holes at Apple's new M1 Macs, including their official support for only a single external display (DisplayLink adapters can be used as a workaround), support for a limited number of games, lack of a full-out touchscreen, and more.

Intel's campaign has so far included a series of videos starring Long, a website comparing the M1 chip to Intel processors, and social media content, including a photo of Long holding several dongles in his hand.

The first M1 Macs have received rave reviews, with the M1 MacBook Air outperforming a maxed-out 16-inch MacBook Pro with Intel's Core i9 processor in Geekbench benchmark scores.

iMac Pro Officially Discontinued, Removed From Apple's Site and No Longer Available for Purchase

Two weeks after Apple announced that it was discontinuing the iMac Pro and noted that orders would only be available while supplies lasted, it appears the high-end all-in-one desktop has reached the end of the line. Apple this week stopped taking orders for the machine and removed it from the Mac section of the company's website.

Apple recommends that users who are looking for a high-end Mac choose the 27-inch iMac, which was last refreshed in August 2020. The current 27-inch ‌iMac‌ configured with a 10-core Core i9 processor is faster and more affordable than the standard ‌iMac Pro‌ with a 10-core Xeon W processor was. Apple is also expected to introduce a redesigned iMac based on Apple silicon chips later this year.

Hands-On: Kensington's New $400 StudioDock for iPad Pro

Kensington in February began accepting pre-orders for the StudioDock docking station that it released for the iPad Pro, and now those StudioDock orders have started arriving to customers. We picked up one of the new StudioDocks to see if it's worth the high purchase price for an iPad workflow.

Available for the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, and 10.9-inch iPad Air, the StudioDock has a magnetic base where an ‌iPad‌ can attach, and it can be used in either landscape or portrait mode. We have the version for the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, and it resembles Apple's Pro Display XDR stand. Watch our hands-on video for our complete impressions.

iPhone 13 Models Will 'Likely' Have 'Touch ID' Under the Display

iPhone 13 models slated for release later this year will "likely" feature a fingerprint scanner embedded under the display for authentication, in addition to Face ID, according to Barclays Research analyst Andrew Gardiner and three of his colleagues.

Under-display "Touch ID" for iPhones has been rumored several times over the last few years. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern have also claimed that Apple is at least testing an under-display fingerprint scanner for iPhone 13 models, so time will tell whether the feature makes the cut.

Apple has filed various under-display fingerprint scanner patents as part of its research and development of the feature.

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A federal jury in Texas has ordered Apple to pay around $308.5 million to a local licensing firm for infringing a patent related to digital rights management, reports Bloomberg.

Following a five-day trial, jurors on Friday said Apple must pay running loyalty fees to Texas-based Personalized Media Communications (PMC). A running loyalty is generally based on the amount of sales of a product or service.

PMC originally sued Apple in 2015 for allegedly infringing seven of its patents. As part of the legal action, the company claimed Apple infringed its patent with technology including FairPlay, which is used to distribute encrypted content through the company's iTunes, App Store, and Apple Music apps.

Apple successfully challenged PMC's case at the U.S. patent office, but an appeals court reversed that decision in March 2020, opening an avenue for a trial to proceed.

Apple told Bloomberg it was disappointed with Friday's ruling and would appeal the decision.

"Cases like this, brought by companies that don't make or sell any products, stifle innovation and ultimately harm consumers," the company said in an emailed statement.

PMC is a non-practicing entity that holds a patent portfolio and generates revenue through patent litigation. When such companies employ hardball legal tactics to enforce patent rights far beyond the patent's actual value, they are often referred to as patent trolls.

The Sugarland-based company has infringement cases pending against several other tech companies including Netflix, Google, and Amazon.

Apple today submitted its witness list for its upcoming bench trial with Epic Games, and several Apple executives will be testifying, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple Fellow Phil Schiller, and Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi.

Cook will be directly examined for one hour, with a one hour cross examination also included. Federighi will testify for two hours with a one hour cross examination, while Schiller, who is in charge of the App Store, will testify for a total of 10 hours. All of Apple's witnesses will appear in person.

In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that its executives are eager to share the impact the ‌App Store‌ has had on innovation and economies around the world.

Our senior executives look forward to sharing with the court the very positive impact the App Store has had on innovation, economies across the world and the customer experience over the last 12 years. We feel confident the case will prove that Epic purposefully breached its agreement solely to increase its revenues, which is what resulted in their removal from the App Store. By doing that, Epic circumvented the security features of the App Store in a way that would lead to reduced competition and put consumers' privacy and data security at tremendous risk.

Apple's witness list also includes ‌App Store‌ Vice President Matt Fischer, Head of Fraud Engineering Algorithms and Risk Eric Friedman, Director of Commerce and Payments Eric Gray, Game Development Manager Mark Grimm, and other employees in marketing, developer relations, and related fields.

Epic's witnesses include ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney and other Epic employees, and third-party witnesses will include executives from Facebook, Microsoft, Nvidia, plus iTunes chief Eddy Cue and former iOS software chief Scott Forstall. Epic said in February that it was attempting to get in touch with Forstall, but was having difficulty locating him. Epic plans to call on Forstall because of his involvement with the launch of the ‌App Store‌ prior to his 2013 departure from the company. In a statement, Epic said that it is not alone in its fight with Apple.

The chorus of developers speaking out against Apple and their anticompetitive practices has become louder. We are not alone in this fight. We look forward to making our case for competition in app distribution and payment processes.

The trial is set to begin on Monday, May 3. It is a bench trial, which means there will be no jury involved. Earlier this month, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez pushed for an in-person trial as she said that the case is "significant enough" that the court should hear it in person.