The MacValley blog
Welcome to the MacValley blog, your first stop for all the latest MacValley news and views.
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The MacValley blog Editor: Tom Briant
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Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for Saturday, 9-1-2018
How Apple’s push to subscriptions could save the App Store and cost you money
Recently, Business Insider reported on a “secret” meeting last year between Apple and some iOS app developers. Apple apparently encouraged the developers to switch from one-time, standalone purchases to a subscription-based model.
The move is reportedly intended to give developers a more stable source of recurring revenue. It would also, of course, provide that recurring revenue to Apple as well, which takes a 30 percent cut on the first year of subscriptions, and 15 percent thereafter.
The subscription model has been gaining popularity among some developers for several years now, with many moving away from the traditional model of one-time pricing with paid upgrades. Some say the stabilty of revenue from subscriptions keep them afloat and counters the downward pricing pressure and “freemium” models that have been pervasive in the App Store. They also say it gives them the incentive to maintain and keep improving their apps.
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber said the writing is on the wall. “Up front paid apps are going the way of the dodo. Whether you think that’s good or bad, it doesn’t matter. That’s where things are going.”
Others aren’t so sure. CodeKit developler Bryan Jones tweeted, “Subscriptions aren’t the future; nobody wants 26 subscriptions.”
The Business Insider article is for paid subscribers. If you are a subscriber, click the link below.
Netflix Doesn't Want to Pay Apple's "App Store Tax" Anymore
Netflix isn't the first company to revolt against OS-based app store fees.
Apple faces an ongoing lawsuit from developers who claim that the company abuses the App Store's dominant position to take an unfair cut of developers' revenue. The Supreme Court is expected to eventually rule on the case.
Netflix's decision to redirect payments is clever, but it won't cripple the App Store model. Apple faces pressure to lower its fees, but most developers cannot afford to pull their apps off iOS. Therefore, investors should keep an eye on this story, but they really shouldn't fret about its impact on Apple's long-term growth.
Why app developers are so mad at Apple and Google
If you need proof that giant technology companies behave a lot like borderless governments, look no further than the brewing “app store taxes” debate.
For the past decade, we’ve come to accept that Google and Apple’s digital stores collect an up to 30% slice of the money developers receive when someone purchases their app, pays for a subscription or buys in-game currency. Critics argue that Google and Apple, the mobile operating system duopoly, are the ultimate rent seekers. Years after the companies really delivered anything new when it comes to selling or delivering apps, the pair are only tightening their grip on apps' income, and cracking down on anyone who tries to skirt the rules.
Understandably, app developers are getting sick of it.
https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2018/08/27/why-app-developers-are-so-mad-at-apple-and-google/
For the past decade, we’ve come to accept that Google and Apple’s digital stores collect an up to 30% slice of the money developers receive when someone purchases their app, pays for a subscription or buys in-game currency. Critics argue that Google and Apple, the mobile operating system duopoly, are the ultimate rent seekers. Years after the companies really delivered anything new when it comes to selling or delivering apps, the pair are only tightening their grip on apps' income, and cracking down on anyone who tries to skirt the rules.
Understandably, app developers are getting sick of it.
https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2018/08/27/why-app-developers-are-so-mad-at-apple-and-google/
Video:
My AirPods Are Staying in My Ears Thanks to This Dead Simple Video
Don’t hang the AirPods from your ears; rather, press them in firmly, then screw the stem forward about 30 degrees.
Video:
Apple AirPods totally change the game
Don't buy a new iPhone right now. You'll probably regret it in a couple of weeks.
Apple is expected to announce three new iPhones in September: an upgraded version of the iPhone X, a larger version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen and a more affordable iPhone with a 6.1-inch LCD display.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/dont-buy-a-new-iphone.html
Apple is expected to announce three new iPhones in September: an upgraded version of the iPhone X, a larger version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen and a more affordable iPhone with a 6.1-inch LCD display.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/dont-buy-a-new-iphone.html
Video:
Play with old Apple computers at the Media Archaeology Lab (So Retro)
The Media Archaeology Lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder lets you get your hands on iconic old computers.
What Are the Best 'Back to My Mac' Alternatives?
Wave goodbye to “Back to My Mac.” As of macOS Mojave, Apple is officially removing the helpful file- and screen-sharing utility baked directly into the operating system.
If you’ve never used Back to my Mac before, it lets you accomplish two things: copy files from a remote system (that you’ve also set up with your Apple ID and Back to my Mac) and control that system remotely. Thankfully, that’s not very hard to do with a number of other apps, especially those that are just as useful (if not more so) than what you’ll find in Back to my Mac.
How the HomePod has found its place in my home, and what the future holds
The HomePod has been one of the most polarizing Apple product releases in recent memory, with many praising its sound quality and integration with the Apple ecosystem, but many also knocking it for its high price and feature parity to devices like the Amazon Echo.
I was an undeniable HomePod skeptic at first, but over the last six months, it has become a reliable and integral part of my smart home setup.
I was an undeniable HomePod skeptic at first, but over the last six months, it has become a reliable and integral part of my smart home setup.
Almost three months after the HomePod’s initial release, Apple pushed iOS 11.4 with AirPlay 2 support. At the time of AirPlay 2’s release, I had a single HomePod – meaning I couldn’t take advantage of features like multi-room and stereo. Sure enough, my colleague Zac Hall had several HomePods and was ready to test AirPlay on day one, and quickly convinced me to join the club.
How to secure dispose of old storage media, like hard drives and SSDs
Video:'
Top 5 Macs and iPads for Students
This free app solves a small but annoying issue with Mac computers — and it's incredible Apple hasn't released a tool like this yet
If you own a Mac computer, look at the top right corner of your screen. You'll probably see several little app icons.
Some of the most popular apps, like Google Drive or the Adobe Creative Cloud, load up your menu bar with icons. But maybe you don't want to bother with deleting those apps, or trying to find a setting to turn off those icons.
Enter Vanilla, the easiest way to manage all of those annoying app icons in your menu bar.
Some of the most popular apps, like Google Drive or the Adobe Creative Cloud, load up your menu bar with icons. But maybe you don't want to bother with deleting those apps, or trying to find a setting to turn off those icons.
Enter Vanilla, the easiest way to manage all of those annoying app icons in your menu bar.
Apple Expanding Pilot Program Allowing Repairs of Select Vintage Macs Worldwide, Starting With 2012 MacBook Air
Apple will add 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models released in Mid 2012 to its vintage and obsolete products list on August 31, according to an internal document distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers and obtained by MacRumors from a reliable source.
Apple says 2012 MacBook Air models will remain eligible for service at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers worldwide through August 31, 2020, a full two years after the notebook is classified as vintage.
If parts are unavailable for a specific repair for these vintage Macs, Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are instructed to decline service. This is also a pilot program to begin with, so it is subject to change or end at any time.
Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs and Bill Gates talk ‘future of the PC’
August 26, 1991:
In their first joint interview, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates trade barbs and debate “the future of the PC” in Fortune magazine.
It’s a great reminder of how bitter the rivalry between Jobs and Gates was.
One of only two interviews the pair ever gave together, it makes for a compelling read. Particularly when compared with the pair’s chummier sitdown interview at the D5 Conference in 2007.
Today in Apple history: FireWire wins Apple its first Emmy
August 22, 2001: Apple takes home a technical Emmy for developing FireWire, the high-speed serial port that allows users to transfer data quickly between a Macintosh and another device, such as a digital camera.
Today in Apple history: iMac G5
August 31, 2004: Apple launches the iMac G5, the last iMac to use a PowerPC processor.
It was also the last iMac to be easily upgradeable by an average user.
Apple History:
August 24, 2011: Steve Jobs Resigned and CEO of Apple, named Tim Cook as his successor.
Despite his illness, Steve Jobs reportedly remained closely involved with Apple's strategic decision-making until passing away October 5, 2011.
Tim Cook says working for Steve Jobs was ‘liberating’
Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac Offers Speed and Storage Gains, macOS Mojave Support
Has new features, occupies less hard disk space.
How to Add a Dock Shortcut for Any macOS System Preference Pane
If you frequently access the same System Preferences pane on your Mac, you can add a shortcut directly to your Dock.
This article explains how.
The most interesting smartphone innovations in the last year (or so)
The notch [first seen in Apple's iPhone X] goes mainstream
Advancements in facial recognition
In-screen fingerprint sensors
How to use iCloud with Windows
If you have an Apple ID, you can use iCloud with Windows.
If you have an Apple ID, you can use iCloud with Windows.
There are two ways to use iCloud with Windows.
1. From your web browser.
2. Download and install Apple’s iCloud for Windows software on your PC.
This article has detailed instructions.
Apple's iPhone 8 Logic Board Replacement Program
Apple launches repair program for defective iPhone 8 logic boards
Apple quietly announced the launch of a free repair program for the iPhone 8 this afternoon, revealing that a “very small percentage” of units need replacement logic boards due to a manufacturing defect.
Apple begins logic board replacements for iPhone 8, claiming 'very small percentage' of defects
iPhones with the faulty boards may freeze, reboot, or outright fail to turn on.
The issue doesn't affect the iPhone 8 Plus, Apple noted.
Apple Is Making All Apps Include a Privacy Policy
All new apps as well as app updates are required to have a privacy policy beginning October 3 of this year. This applies to apps submitted both through Apple’s App Store as well as TestFlight, a mobile app testing service owned by Apple.
How to Revisit Every Version of Mac OS X From Your Browser
It's interesting to be reminded of how Mac OS X has evolved over the past 17 years.
Office 2019 will force procrastinating Mac owners to upgrade
Siri will show you your passwords if you ask
Siri will show me any of the passwords I have saved to my iCloud keychain, which saves me from needing to remember my passwords.
Just ask Siri, "Show me my passwords" or "Show me my password for [insert account name here]" and Siri will deliver the goods.
Don't worry, in either example, you will be required to prove your identity via Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode before your password is coughed up.
Woz got scammed out of $70,000 worth of bitcoin
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has a cautionary tale for people hoping to strike it rich off bitcoin.
He said:
“I had seven bitcoins stolen from me through fraud. Somebody bought them from me online through a credit card and they canceled the credit card payment. It was that easy!.”
Making matters worse, the purchase was made with a stolen credit card number so Woz had no recourse to get his bitcoin back.
Connecticut man George Garafano has been sentenced to eight months in prison for his role in the 2014 iCloud hacks that saw many celebrity photos illicitly shared on the internet.
Garafano was accused of hacking the iCloud accounts of more than 200 people over the course of 18 months, including multiple celebrities.
Garafano was accused of hacking the iCloud accounts of more than 200 people over the course of 18 months, including multiple celebrities.
$13,000 iPhone bill nearly puts sad ending on family trip
A family from San Jose, California, returned from an overseas trip with several memories. But the strongest may be the one that greeted them at home — an iPhone bill with more than $13,000 in data charges.
The Chung family prepared for their trip to Vietnam with a firm rule that the iPhones would be on Airplane Mode to avoid roaming and internet fees. So it appeared son Nicholas Chung was in trouble when the T-Mobile bill showed the sky-high data charges coming from his number over a 30-minute period.
The Chung family prepared for their trip to Vietnam with a firm rule that the iPhones would be on Airplane Mode to avoid roaming and internet fees. So it appeared son Nicholas Chung was in trouble when the T-Mobile bill showed the sky-high data charges coming from his number over a 30-minute period.
Nicholas Chung admitted he played games on his iPhone during the flight to Vietnam, but the games were offline, he told KGO-TV, the ABC affiliate in San Francisco.
“I was confused and scared,” Nicholas Chung said. “Because $13,000 is a lot of money. I was like, ‘What? I didn’t do anything.'”
“I was confused and scared,” Nicholas Chung said. “Because $13,000 is a lot of money. I was like, ‘What? I didn’t do anything.'”
If he actually kept his plane in Airplane Mode for the entire trip, the charge seems outrageous and unbelievable. If he switched off Airplane Mode, whether intentionally or inadvertently, all bets are off.
Nicholas’ mother, Vivian Chung, contacted T-Mobile about the $13,470.19 bill and the service provider reduced the bill to $3,800. Feeling the bill was still too much, she contacted the KGO-TV investigative team, whose reporting led to T-Mobile dropping all data charges.
Want to ensure you don’t get dinged for excess data charges? Apple points out that you can stop individual apps from using cellular data. You do this by going into Settings > [App name]and toggling off Cellular Data. This limits the app to using Wi-Fi for all updates.
Hackers Are Exposing An Apple Mac Weakness In Middle East Espionage
Apple Macs are rarely the target of digital espionage. But in recent years, a mysterious hacker crew called WindShift has targeted specific individuals working in government departments and critical infrastructure across the Middle East. And they’re exploiting weaknesses believed to affect all Apple Mac models.
Security News This Week: You Should Delete Facebook's VPN App
AW comment:
This web page discusses several news items. Scroll down to see the next headline:
Apple Kicks Facebook’s Creepy VPN Out of the App Store
Don't Trust the VPN Facebook Wants You To Use
All VPNs, by definition, have access to all of your browsing data. VPNs that prioritize privacy, though, reassure users that they will never log or store any browsing information. Some have even proven in practice that they delete all logs, after subpoenas for records during law enforcement investigations turn up nothing.
But NOT facebook's VPN.
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