Mitchel Broussard

Mitchel is a Contributing Editor at MacRumors. Southern Louisiana-born, he lives off of bad TV, good books, and great video games. Despite a few close calls, he has yet to forget the face of his father.



Spotify Expands Free Tier With On-Demand Playlists and Data Saver Mode

Tuesday April 24, 2018 7:44 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Spotify held an event in New York City today, unveiling a new version of its free music streaming tier that introduces a few new features for those users not paying for Spotify's $9.99/month main subscription plan. The new free tier allows users to pick and choose which music they want to listen to on-demand, but only if the tracks appear within one of the 15 curated discovery playlists. These include Daily Mix, Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and more. Previously, free tier users were limited to shuffling songs at random. New version of the free-tier’s mobile app. Includes new playlists to bring it closer in line to what premium offers. Also adds a low data mode to allow better streaming on capped data plans. pic.twitter.com/l05qO5r3SR— Eli Blumenthal (@eliblumenthal) April 24, 2018 According to TechCrunch, "that's around 750 tracks (>40 hours of music) that Spotify is serving up to users for on-demand listening." Additionally, users on the free service will get recommendations based on their own playlists, with machine learning taking into account songs in the playlists and even the name of the playlists. Spotify calls this "assisted playlisting." CNET reporter Joan E. Solsman also mentioned that free users will have access to podcasts and vertical videos. Curated playlists, like RapCaviar, will also "stay the same across both tiers" of free and premium users. There is also a new low-data mode that aims to cut data consumption "by up to 75 percent." In total, Spotify head of product development, Babar Zafar, said Spotify's free tier is "becoming much
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Best Buy One-Day Sale: Save Up to $265 on MacBook Pro and Up to $100 on 2017 iPad

Tuesday April 24, 2018 6:55 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Best Buy today has debuted a limited one-day sale on a few of the latest models of Apple's MacBook Pro without Touch Bar and the fifth-generation iPad. The savings bring the cost of the entry-level MacBook Pro configuration down to $1,049.99, from $1,299.99. Students and parents of students can save even more and get the notebook for $999.99. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. For the iPads, savings are $80 off the 32GB models and $100 off the 128GB models, with prices either matching or beating the costs for the same iPads at retailers like Walmart, Target, and Adorama. Check out the list below for every device on sale today only: 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Space Gray - $1,049.99, down from $1,299.99 / $999.99 with Student Deals 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Silver - $1,049.99, down from $1,299.99 / $999.99 with Student Deals 2.3GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Space Gray - $1,234.99, down from $1,499.99 / $1,184.99 with Student Deals 2.3GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Silver - $1,234.99, down from $1,499.99 / $1,184.99 with Student Deals 2.5GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Space Gray - $1,999.99, down from $2,199.99 / $1,949.99 with Student Deals Fifth-Generation iPad 32GB, Wi-Fi - $249.99, down from $329.99 128GB, Wi-Fi - $329.99, down from $429.99 For more information on the latest sales from Best Buy and many other retailers, be sure
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Amazon Key Expands to In-Car Deliveries in Select U.S. Cities

Tuesday April 24, 2018 5:27 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
After first launching the "Amazon Key" service for users to allow delivery people to enter their home and drop off packages, Amazon today has revealed the expansion of the platform into "Amazon Key In-Car." Now, when Prime members in select cities checkout on Amazon, they will be able to choose an in-car delivery option. The company says that the service is available at no extra cost for Prime members, and it is limited to certain vehicle brands: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac and Volvo. Users can check their vehicle's eligibility on Amazon.com, and then download the Amazon Key iOS app [Direct Link] to complete setup. “Since launching Amazon Key last November, we’ve safely delivered everything from cameras to collectable coins inside the home. Customers have also told us they love features like keyless guest access and being able to monitor their front door from anywhere with the Amazon Key App,” said Peter Larsen, Vice President of Delivery Technology, Amazon. “In-car delivery gives customers that same peace of mind and allows them to take the Amazon experience with them. And, with no additional hardware or devices required, customers can start ordering in-car delivery today.” Afterwards, customers shop as normal on Amazon.com or in the Amazon mobile apps, select an eligible address, and then choose in-car delivery at checkout. The app gives customers a 4-hour time window for delivery, and requires the car to be parked within two blocks of the selected address. Then, as the delivery arrives, Amazon says that it authorizes the delivery driver prior to
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Deals: iPhone X and Beats at Best Buy, 2017 iPad at Walmart, and Latest Anker Discounts

Monday April 23, 2018 10:42 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Best Buy is back today with a refresh of deals on Apple and Apple-related products and accessories, this time including a deal on the iPhone X. With the sale, you can save up to $200 on Apple's iPhone X, when purchasing and activating the smartphone on Sprint's 24-month installment agreement. 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. The sale brings down the cost of the 256GB iPhone X to $949.99, from $1,149.99, with the savings reflected in reduced monthly payments over the life of the smartphone. There are also a few sales on accessories like the Powerbeats3, Ultimate Ears BLAST, and numerous discounts on 4K televisions. Check out more details on these deals in the list below: iPhone X - Save up to $200 2017 MacBook Pro - Save up to $200 / as low as $1,099.99 with Student Deals Powerbeats3 Wireless Headphones - Save up to $65 / as low as $134.99 in Break Blue Ultimate Ears BLAST - Save $50 / as low as $179.99 Select 4K Ultra HD TVs - Save up to 30 percent Insignia Smart Home Products - Save between $5 and $15 on select devices If you're looking at the Apple Watch Series 3, Best Buy also still has a trade-in offer going on in-store only: if you trade in any working Apple Watch, you can get $70 or more to put toward a new Apple Watch Series 3. Another ongoing offer from Best Buy that's stuck around since the retailer began its spring savings event is for an iPad mini 4 Wi-Fi + Cellular model on Verizon. With the discount, the iPad
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J. Cole Breaks Apple Music First-Day Streaming Record as Apple Plans Country Music Push in Nashville

Monday April 23, 2018 8:21 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Apple Music has been the focus of numerous record-breaking reports in recent weeks, and the latest comes from rapper J. Cole after he broke the service's record for most album streams in the first 24 hours in the United States. In total, subscribers streamed J. Cole's fifth album "KOD" 64.5 million times on Friday, April 20, surpassing Drake's "Views" -- the previous record holder -- by almost 1 million streams. Apple reported the numbers to The Verge, also stating that seven of the top 10 most streamed songs in a 24-hour period on Apple Music are all from "KOD." In total, Apple Music represented 66 percent of first-day streams for "KOD" in the U.S. and 60 percent worldwide, edging out streaming competitors like Spotify in terms of streams for J. Cole's latest album. Earlier in April, Cardi B broke Apple Music's record for most first-week streams by a female artist, surpassing 100 million streams. The rapper's numbers grew so rapidly after "Invasion of Privacy" launched that she beat Taylor Swift's streaming record, launching the album into Apple Music's fifth most-streamed album ever. As Apple Music continues to grow, one analyst predicted that the service will keep up its progress and average 40 percent growth each year for the next three years. Apple Music currently sits at just over 40 million subscribers, so analyst Ben Schachter's prediction puts the streaming music service at over 100 million paid subscribers sometime in 2021. Given Apple Music's steady growth, that milestone could happen even sooner. J. Cole's success with "KOD" follows Carl Chery's ex
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Apple Celebrates Turkish Children's Day With Self-Portraits Created Using iPad and Apple Pencil

Monday April 23, 2018 7:35 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Today is National Sovereignty and Children's Day in Turkey, an annual public holiday that takes place on April 23 in the country. As it has in years past, Apple is celebrating the holiday by sharing art that children have created using its products. Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted a self-portrait created by 13-year-old Özgün Asya, who made the image on an iPad with Apple Pencil. It’s Children’s Day in Turkey! 🇹🇷 Thanks to 13-year-old Özgün Asya from Istanbul for this colorful self-portrait, created on iPad using Apple Pencil. pic.twitter.com/N5EzH11F1x— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 23, 2018 Over the past week, Apple's Turkish YouTube channel has been sharing a few videos also highlighting Children's Day, in a series called "My Portrait." The first video posted focused on Asya's self-portrait, and in it she explains that she drew herself with her favorite flower, the cherry blossom. Following the first video, Apple published six more short, 15-second clips where kids from Turkey explained the art that they created using iPad. Ali G. explained that he drew seven-and-a-half versions of himself due to his own age, Ece S. described her nature-focused portrait, and Defne A. showed off an image of her and her dog. In the most recent video, shared over the weekend, Apple combined all of the self portrait videos into one 30-second ad. The power of the iPad, the ease of use of Apple Pencil, and the unlimited creativity of children came together, and these extraordinary self-portraits came out. Apple's Children's Day videos showcase the latest 9.7-inch iPad, which
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New Survey Says Amazon and Google Have a More 'Positive Impact on Society' Than Apple

Monday April 23, 2018 6:51 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
In a new survey conducted by SurveyMonkey and shared by Recode, 11 percent of respondents said that they believe Apple has the most positive impact on society today. Apple came in third place, however, falling in line behind Google at 15 percent and Amazon in the top spot at 20 percent. Survey respondents were given the option of choosing between a number of technology companies between April 8-9, and it totaled 2,772 adults based in the United States. When asked which company they believe has the most positive impact on society, 20 percent elected to choose "none of the above." Despite the ongoing Cambridge Analytica scandal, 10 percent of respondents chose Facebook as having the most positive impact today. Microsoft rounded out the top 5 slots at 7 percent, followed by Tesla at 6 percent, Uber at 3 percent, Netflix at 2 percent, and a list of companies at 1 percent. The survey also dived into the CEOs of the companies and asked respondents which leaders had the greatest impact on people's daily lives. Amazon came in first place again, with 22 percent saying CEO Jeff Bezos and his decisions impact them in some way each day. Google's Sundar Pichai came in second at 18 percent, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg was third at 17 percent. Amazon has been a competitor for Apple in a few areas over the last couple of years, particularly in areas like AI assistants and smart home accessory support. Most recently, The Information reported that an increasing number of home builders have opted to go with Alexa-enabled smart homes, rather than install HomeKit products
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Apple Celebrates Earth Day With Ziggy Marley Concert, Apple Music Playlists, and $0.99 iTunes Movies Rentals

Sunday April 22, 2018 11:14 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Today is Earth Day, and around the globe people are celebrating the annual event through demonstrations and gatherings aimed at showing support for the planet and protecting the environment. Apple began celebrations this past week in its retail stores, sending green shirts for its employees to wear and lighting up the Apple logo with a green leaf to mark the April 22 global event. We’re celebrating Earth Day here at Apple. Thanks @ziggymarley for an inspired performance! 🎶 🌏 pic.twitter.com/cuNvbzdbiA— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 21, 2018 On Friday, April 20, Apple held one of its annual Beer Bash concerts with a performance by Ziggy Marley. In a tweet, the musician explained that his performance at Apple's campus was his "first set fully powered by solar energy." Marley continued by thanking Apple: "Thank you for the example you set for companies around the world." Also in attendance during the performance was Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy, and social issues. In a tweet this morning Jackson reminded Apple Watch users about today's Earth Day Challenge, which requires you to do any workout for 30 minutes or more before the day ends, and record your activity within the Workout watchOS app or any other app that adds workouts to the Health iOS app. It’s @ziggymarley performing at my office on 4/20. Not bad for a Friday afternoon at work. pic.twitter.com/08pdH2c4e5— Etan Horowitz (@etanowitz) April 21, 2018 The company is also celebrating Earth Day across its services, with a few themed playlists, iTunes movies, and iBooks getting
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Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover Plan Combo Checkout Button to Compete With PayPal

Friday April 20, 2018 7:46 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are planning to combine their online payment options into "a single button," hoping to make customers' shopping easier and reduce friction in the checkout process. The button will be a major competitor to PayPal, and combat what's called "the NASCAR effect," where multiple payment logos and options dot the purchasing interface on online marketplaces "like the side of a race car" (via Bloomberg). The new project is being headed by Visa and Mastercard, which announced during an industry conference that they will integrate the Visa Checkout and Masterpass payment options into the button. Afterwards, spokespeople for American Express and Discover announced they are joining the project as well. With all of these platforms located behind one button, users who already have payment options saved in each will be able to checkout "with a few clicks." Still, the project is in early stages, with a name and the visual design of the button still undecided. Visa and Mastercard hope to start moving customers enrolled in Visa Checkout and Masterpass to the new program by the end of this year, and expanded checkout support is expected in 2019. With all of the major credit and debit card companies joining forces, the new button is believed to be a direct competitor to PayPal, which amalgamates a customer's credit cards, debit cards, and bank accounts into one place for easier checkouts. The aim, according to the card networks, is to make online shopping simple, letting people finish with a few clicks -- an experience pioneered by
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AT&T Reveals $15/Month Streaming Service Without Sports, Launching 'in the Next Few Weeks'

Friday April 20, 2018 6:13 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
AT&T is planning to add a new streaming service to its lineup called "AT&T Watch," priced at a low cost of $15 per month with the removal of all sports channels. The service will be one of the cheapest streaming bundles available on the market, and will even be free for AT&T wireless subscribers on unlimited plans (via The Wall Street Journal and Variety). As of now not much else is known about AT&T Watch, including exactly what channels will be on offer, what platforms it will launch on, or even a specific launch date besides "in the next few weeks." When it does debut, the service will undercut Sling TV's cheapest $20/month streaming tier, and be more of a competitor to Philo's $16/month option, which predominantly advertises itself as the over-the-top bundle for people who don't watch sports. The upcoming skinny bundle was announced yesterday by AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, during his time on the witness stand where he defended his company's intent to acquire Time Warner. Stephenson mentioned AT&T Watch after the Justice Department argued that AT&T continuously raises prices for traditional DirecTV subscribers, reportedly "emphasizing" the new service and DirecTV Now's entry level $35/month tier, "while acknowledging price increases for traditional DirecTV subscribers." Often speaking directly to the judge, Stephenson testified on the origins and rationale for the merger, but his examination also veered into other topics, like an email exchange he had with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg following last year’s Allen & Co. Sun Valley conference. He even revealed a
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Best Buy Discounts Entry-Level 15-Inch MacBook Pro to $1,499 in One-Day Sale

Thursday April 19, 2018 10:50 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Best Buy currently has a limited-time sale hitting the 15-inch MacBook Pro from mid 2015, with a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB flash storage. Under the sale, those interested can get this model for $1,499.99, priced originally at $1,999.99. Students and parents of students can knock the price down an additional $50 to $1,449.99. 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. Although it's three years old at this point, Apple still sells this configuration of the 15-inch MacBook Pro as an entry-level option for those customers not interested in the more recent additions to MacBook Pro models, like the Touch Bar and Touch ID. Best Buy's discount is also $200 cheaper than it's ever been before in our tracking, and the deal will last today only. Best Buy's sale on the 2017 MacBook Pro models is still going on as well, with savings of up to $200 or more. Prices start at $1,149.99 for the 13-inch MacBook Pro (2.3 GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB HD), or as low as $1,099.99 with Student Deals. In a separate one-day-only sale, Amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day for today is also focused on MacBooks from 2015. Sold by Woot, these are certified refurbished models of the original 12-inch MacBook that Apple introduced in early 2015, with prices starting at $779.99 (1.2 GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB HD) and rising to $969.99 (1.2 GHz, 8GB RAM, 512GB HD). Below is a quick rundown of other sales currently happening on Amazon: Twelve South - Get $30
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eBay for iOS Gains Barcode Scanning Feature That Can Complete Listing Process 'Within Seconds'

Thursday April 19, 2018 8:22 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
eBay today announced a new update for its iOS and Android apps, aimed at further simplifying the item listing process. The headlining feature of the update is a new barcode scanner, allowing sellers to quickly scan the box of an item (if they still have it), select a condition, and click "list your item." The barcode scanner will automatically populate the listing with all of the requisite details (images, description, suggested starting price), and the process can be finished "within seconds," according to eBay. If you don't have the item barcode you can still search for it by typing in a description, which should populate the listing at around the same rate as the barcode scanner. eBay's announcement states the streamlined update is aimed at new sellers who aren't yet familiar with the service's in-depth listing options. “At eBay, we’re dedicated to delivering a seamless and efficient selling experience for both first-time and seasoned sellers alike,” says Kelly Vincent, eBay’s VP of Consumer Selling Product & Engineering. “This latest update continues to leverage eBay’s structured data, which helps catalogue the 1.1+ billion items on the platform, to instantaneously populate product details, pricing and shipping information in the listing flow. Not only does the catalogue facilitate a superior listing experience, it enables buyers to easily find the great deals offered by our sellers. This is one of many enhancements we’ll be making this year. We’ll continue to leverage structured data and new technology developments to help our sellers ‘get it sold.’” Late
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Verizon Announces Updated 'Smart Family' iOS App With Screen Time Management, Content Filters, and More

Thursday April 19, 2018 7:43 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Verizon today announced the evolution of its existing "FamilyBase" parental controls product into "Smart Family," a redesigned app that lets parents track screen time, set content filters, monitor whereabouts, and more. With the Verizon Smart Family app, parents can instantly pause the internet to manage their kids' screen time, check the battery status of their phone, and look at a summary of their text and call activity. Usage limits can be set by reducing access to texts, calls, and data, and what the parent deems inappropriate can be blocked with content filters for websites and apps. There is also a location tracking feature with alerts that push to the parent's smartphone, notifying them when their kid arrives or leaves a specified location. “Being a parent in today’s digital world can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Susie Fernandes, senior product manager at Verizon. “We created Verizon Smart Family to give parents the tools they need to help them raise tech savvy kids with a healthy and responsible approach to screen time and content viewing.” Verizon Smart Family is available to download for free [Direct Link], but eventually requires a monthly subscription to access its features. The two subscription tiers include an entry level $4.99/month option that lacks location tracking and alerts, and a $9.99/month Premium plan with all features included (a 30 day free trial is available for Premium as well). Smartphone over-use has become an increasingly debated topic in the past few months, with Apple investors urging the company to do more
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Apple Pay Offering Free Fries From McDonald's in New Promotion

Thursday April 19, 2018 5:02 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Anyone who uses Apple Pay to checkout in the McDonald's iOS app on a Friday in April will have the opportunity to get free Medium fries with their order. The offer for a free side of fries is Apple's latest promotion for Apple Pay, and customers have two more Fridays to take advantage of it: April 20 and April 27. The McDonald's promotion is valid only with a minimum $1 purchase (excluding tax), is available to each user once per week, and can only be used with Mobile Order & Pay at participating McDonald's. With this feature, customers can place their order in the McDonald's app, pay using Apple Pay during checkout, and then head to their local McDonald's to pick up their food. The promotional email also touts Apple Pay's support in other fast food restaurants, including KFC, Pizza Hut, and Subway. Within apps, Apple reminds users that they can order ahead in Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and Jimmy John's. Lastly, the company mentions Apple Pay Cash as a way for users to split lunch orders with friends. The last few Apple Pay promos offered savings for Adidas and Hotwire, Fanatics, Grubhub and Seamless, TouchTunes, and Fandango.
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'Star Wars: Jedi Challenges' iOS App Updates With ARKit Support for Holochess Mode

Wednesday April 18, 2018 8:51 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
When Apple first announced its ARKit developer platform, one of the examples it gave was an image that showed someone playing Dejarik, a holographic board game from the Star Wars universe. The game has been available in an augmented reality experience on the iOS "Star Wars: Jedi Challenges" app [Direct Link], but it required pieces of hardware -- namely the Lenovo Mirage AR headset -- that currently costs $149.99. This week Disney updated the Jedi Challenges app with ARKit support, removing the requirement of a Lenovo Mirage AR headset and letting anyone with an iPhone or iPad running iOS 11 play Dejarik Holochess for free (via Gizmodo UK). ARKit users are able to access the full Holochess game mode, with 18 levels taking place across six planets and including eight unlockable creatures with unique abilities. Lenovo says that Holochess mode includes around two to three hours of gameplay. Star Wars: Jedi Challenges adds ARKit compatibility with this update. Users with an Apple device running iOS 11 can now experience the magic of augmented reality directly from their mobile device. Access the full Holochess game mode from Star Wars: Jedi Challenges including 18 levels across 6 planets and 8 unlockable creatures with unique special abilities. Last month, Sensor Tower reported that iPhone and iPad owners worldwide have downloaded more than 13 million ARKit-only apps since the platform launched in September 2017. Games remain the dominant category for ARKit-only apps -- defined as "expressly using" Apple's framework, unlike Jedi Challenges -- having grown from
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Opera VPN iOS App Will Be Permanently Discontinued at the End of April

Wednesday April 18, 2018 7:22 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Just under two years after launching on the iOS App Store, Opera this week announced that its free "Opera VPN" app will be permanently discontinued as of April 30, 2018. Opera's virtual private network app masks the user's true IP address and allows them to bypass firewalls, block tracking cookies, change their virtual location to unlock geo-specific content, and more. At the end of April, the app will be shuttered on both the iOS and Android App Stores, but the company noted that it aims to "make sure your privacy is still looked after" following Opera VPN's discontinuation. This mainly refers to users who were paying for Opera Gold on mobile, which introduced a Tracker Blocker, 10 additional regions, increased speeds, and dedicated customer support for $29.99/year. These subscribers will have the option to redeem a free one year subscription to SurfEasy's Ultra VPN and migrate all of their data from Opera to SurfEasy, a company that Opera acquired in 2016. Even those who don't have an Opera Gold plan will have the chance to obtain an 80 percent discount on SurfEasy's entry level Total VPN tier. In terms of pricing, SurfEasy's Ultra plan is currently priced at $6.49/month and the Total plan is $3.99/month. This is a free upgrade for Opera Gold users, as SurfEasy Ultra offers unlimited usage on up to five devices, access to 28 regions and a strict no-log policy. SurfEasy is also available on more platforms, currently supporting Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Amazon devices. Users will be able to enjoy world-class customer support, too. Opera Gold users will be
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Analyst Predicts Apple Music Will Average 40 Percent Growth Per Year Through 2021

Wednesday April 18, 2018 6:32 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Apple Music has seen a consistent rise in subscriber numbers over the past year, with the streaming music service's fastest growth yet -- hitting 40 million subscribers -- coming just this month. According to Macquarie Capital analyst Ben Schachter, Apple Music will keep up its progress and average 40 percent growth each year over the next three years (via The Wall Street Journal). With this projection, Apple Music would see subscriber numbers reach about 56 million within the next year, 78 million in two years, and break the 100 million paid subscriber milestone in under three years. For comparison with previous growth, Apple Music sat at 10 million subscribers in January 2016, 20 million in December 2016, 30 million in September 2017, and 40 million in April 2018. Schachter explains that while Apple Music will continue to be a solid performer for Apple, music streaming royalties will prevent it from becoming Apple's most profitable service. The rub, of course, is that music streaming isn’t a terribly profitable business, due mostly to the royalties streamers must pay to labels and artists. Mr. Schachter estimates that Apple Music commands a gross margin of around 15%. That is actually lower than the 24% that Spotify projects for this year. But even if Apple’s margins in music equaled that of its rival, they remain well below what the company makes by selling apps made by other developers. Mr. Schachter estimates that the latter commands gross margins of about 90%. In other words, while music may be a key component to Apple’s growth, apps are far more
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Facebook Prepares for Europe's General Data Protection Regulation With 'New Privacy Experiences'

Wednesday April 18, 2018 5:27 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Facebook this week shared a blog post explaining "new privacy experiences" that will be available on the social network, in compliance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), coming into effect on May 25. Facebook originally detailed part of its plan for GDPR-related privacy features back in January, and is now following through in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The rollout will begin in Europe this week, but the company described the update as being "for everyone on Facebook," and it'll begin expanding worldwide "on a slightly later schedule." In the new blog post, Facebook chief privacy officer Erin Egan explained that users will be asked to make choices about multiple aspects of the social network from now on, including ads, profile data, and face recognition. As soon as GDPR was finalized, we realized it was an opportunity to invest even more heavily in privacy. We not only want to comply with the law, but also go beyond our obligations to build new and improved privacy experiences for everyone on Facebook. We’ve brought together hundreds of employees across product, engineering, legal, policy, design and research teams. We’ve also sought input from people outside Facebook with different perspectives on privacy, including people who use our services, regulators and government officials, privacy experts, and designers. Facebook will ask its users to review information about advertising based on partner data, such as websites and apps that use business tools like the Like button. They will be able to decide if they want
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Sonos Announces New Colors for Sonos One Speaker Coming This September

Tuesday April 17, 2018 5:50 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Sonos today announced the upcoming debut of new color options for the Sonos One speaker, launching in addition to the device's current colors of white and black. Created in collaboration with Danish design brand HAY, the Sonos One will be available in red, yellow, and green in September 2018. Although not mentioned specifically, the announcement of the new speaker colors also includes an image with a light pink speaker, so there could be additional colors coming as well. The update is focused on new colors and does not appear to include any changes or overhauls to other features of the Sonos One, but the price will be increased to $229/£229/€259, from $199/£199/€229 (via The Verge). Inspired by the Danish company's 2018 color palette, the HAY Sonos One Limited Edition Collection will provide customers with a bit more personalization options for Sonos's latest speaker, according to representatives from both companies. “Our speakers aren’t designed to claim attention but to blend naturally into their surroundings,” says Sonos VP of Design Tad Toulis. Even with the addition of colors to the typically black-and-white Sonos product line, the new HAY Sonos One still manages to maintain that aesthetic subtlety. “These speakers deserve to be treated like furniture: strong, independent objects that fit different needs and spaces,” says Hay. By leveraging HAY’s singular approach to color, this limited edition collection fully realizes the Sonos philosophy of sonic architecture and harmonizes both brands’ ability to create products that can transform a home. Sonos announce
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Low-Cost Streaming Service Philo Coming to Apple TV This Summer, Unlocking TV Everywhere Authentication Soon

Monday April 16, 2018 9:27 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Last November a new streaming TV service called "Philo" was announced, aimed at providing a much cheaper monthly cost for users by cutting out all sports-related content. Starting at $16 per month, subscribers can stream 37 entertainment networks on multiple devices including iPhone, MacBook, Roku, smart TVs, and more. At the time of its announcement the company said a Philo app would be coming to Apple TV, and now CEO Andrew McCollum has confirmed that the Apple TV app for Philo will be launching this summer (via CNET). Philo for iOS Alongside the launch window for the Apple TV app, McCollum revealed that the service will also allow subscribers to unlock the streaming apps for TV networks included in their Philo subscription. Much like DirecTV Now, this means that if users pay to stream a channel like AMC on Philo, they can use their Philo log-in within the AMC app to access paywalled content. This will be a bonus for Apple TV owners, since most over-the-top live TV streaming services don't support Apple's TV app, but many individual network apps do. The live-TV streaming company will work on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV devices this summer, CEO Andrew McCollum said last week. An Android mobile app is next on the roadmap. In addition, you'll be able to do more with your Philo account. The company is unlocking the streaming apps for the TV networks included in a customer's subscription. That means if you pay for Philo's $16-a-month bundle of cable channels, you'll be able to access the paywalled apps for channels like AMC, Nickelodeon, Discovery Channel
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