Apple

M. Night Shyamalan wins dismissal of ‘Servant’ copyright suit

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Variety:

Francesca Gregorini, the writer and director of “The Truth About Emanuel,” filed the suit in January, accusing Shyamalan of lifting her story and “bastardizing” it through a male gaze.

Both works are about a grieving mother who cares for a doll as if it were a real child, and her relationship with a female baby-sitter.

But Walter ruled that sharing a premise is not a violation of copyright law.

This one was thrown out on lack of merit, with the judge saying, “Beyond this unprotectable shared premise, the works’ storylines diverge drastically and quickly.”

Apple engineer Jordyn Castor, who has been blind since birth, talks coding and accessibility

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[VIDEO] Great video (via Daring Fireball), very cool indeed. It takes place at the California School for the Blind, highlights Apple Engineer Jordyn Castor as she talks about writing code, making it easier for others to write code using Apple Playgrounds and other tools. This is about empowerment. Wonderful. Video embedded in main Loop post.

HBO pulls Apple TV Channels integration following HBO Max debut

Written by

Mikey Campbell, Apple Insider:

Hours after HBO launched its long-awaited HBO Max app on iOS, Apple TV and other platforms on Wednesday, the AT&T-owned company has pulled streaming integration with Apple TV Channels.

One of the first major cable networks to sign on to Apple TV Channels, HBO is no longer available to new users accessing Apple’s collaborative streaming hub.

HBO Max is a confusing beast. It sits alongside HBO, HBO Go, and HBO Now. Such confusing branding. And when HBO Max arrived on Apple TV, it seemed to replace HBO Go in the collection. But without explicitly doing so.

Which makes me wonder if it’s possible that HBO Max will eventually fully integrate with Apple TV+, as the branding confusion gets sorted.

Apple wins rights to Scorsese-DiCaprio-De Niro project ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’

Written by

Deadline:

Deadline hears that the tug of war over one of the highest profile films in Hollywood is about over. Apple will win the derby for the Martin Scorsese-directed film Killers Of The Flower Moon, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in the lead roles. The deals are being papered — Paramount still has to sign off — but I’m told when they are, it will be an Apple original film, and Paramount will distribute theatrically worldwide.

OK, a grain of salt there, “Deadline hears” that this is true. But Deadline has a reasonable track record and I do want Apple to have an original Scorsese movie!

The deal, which calls for Apple to finance and become the creative studio, gives the movie a hybrid situation and the best of both worlds. The film will get a wide theatrical release through Paramount before it becomes the biggest film title so far on Apple’s streaming service.

Apple TV+ is evolving, their deals adjusting to the marketplace. This is a high-profile project and might be a path to high profile awards that will lend Apple TV+ movie creds. Grain of salt for all of this.

The awesome Mac OS Catalina fonts you didn’t know you had access to

Written by

Ralf Herrmann, Typography.Guru:

Apple has recently licensed fonts from type foundries such as Commercial Type, Klim Type Foundry and Mark Simonson Studio to be used as system fonts on Mac OS Catalina. But since these fonts are an optional download, many users of Mac OS X are not even aware they have access to them for free.

For the complete list of fonts included with macOS Catalina, check out this Apple Support document.

iPhone 11 now ‘the world’s most popular smartphone’ as it surpasses iPhone XR

Written by

Chance Miller, 9to5Mac:

New data released by Omdia today says that the iPhone 11 has usurped the crown of being the “world’s most popular smartphone” from the iPhone XR. According to data, Apple shipped 19.5 million iPhone 11 units during the first quarter of this year.

This is remarkable. If you add sales numbers for the next three smartphones together (that’d be the Samsung Galaxy A51, and Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro), they’d just about equal iPhone 11 sales.

Also of note, iPhone 11 Pro Max still lags behind iPhone XR sales. Premium price for the Pro Max, iPhone XR still has legs, though I suspect second quarter will see the rise of the iPhone SE.

Apple announces Fraggle Rock reboot, partnership with Jim Henson Company

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Apple:

Following the overwhelming global fandom around the recent debut of the Apple TV+ shorts “Fraggle Rock: Rock On!,” Apple today announced a new partnership with The Jim Henson Company to reboot the beloved classic series “Fraggle Rock.”

And:

The new “Fraggle Rock” series will be reimagined as a global Apple Original series for new generations of fans to enjoy together on Apple TV+. Produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with New Regency, the series will reunite the original stars – Gobo, Red, Boober, Mokey, Wembley and Uncle Travelling Matt – for new songs and adventures, with the same spirit as the classic.

And these nuggets from Vulture:

As part of the agreement, Apple has also acquired exclusive streaming rights to all 96 episodes of the original 1983–87 live-action HBO series (and some specials) and will make them available to subscribers in 100 countries on Wednesday, May 27.

And:

According to a source familiar with Apple’s thinking, the company remains uninterested in using Apple TV+ as a repository for old shows and movies from other suppliers, the way Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu have done for years. That’s because, per the source, with big studios such as Warner Bros., Disney, and Universal looking to keep their best and biggest titles for their own streaming platforms, there simply aren’t enough great titles around to make a library strategy work.

Some excellent insight there.

Two reviews of Apple TV+’s quarantine Mythic Quest episode. Lotta love there.

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From Variety:

The following is a compliment: While watching the new “Mythic Quest” quarantine special, I forgot several times that it is, essentially, a very effective commercial for Apple products.

And:

With video technology already layered into the show, “Mythic Quest” was simply better equipped for a virtual special than most shows ever could be. And from a character standpoint, the show’s collection of nerds work together at an increasingly powerful video game company and already spend their days making cyber connections more tolerable or even more interesting. That is, after all, their literal job.

Some spoilers in the review, so I’d encourage you to watch the episode if you’ve not yet seen it. But the review captures what this episode did so well and, in my mind, shows the evolution of the work-at-home entertainment that we’ll surely see more of over time.

The second review is this one from Mashable, which folds in quotes from an interview they did with star and co-creator Rob McElhenney.

If you are into the show, or interested in the business of Apple TV+, both reviews are worth reading. And both show, to me, how much of a home run this series is for Apple.

How Apple Glasses will be judged vs. Oakley

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With the current rumors about Apple Glass taken as a base premise, Robert Scoble digs into the Apple Glass model from a number of different sides, from fashion, to custom prescription lenses, to AR/LIDAR, to the importance of brick and mortar and Apple’s advantage there.

No way to avoid speculation, since Apple Glass itself is a product concept, pure speculation itself. But an interesting read, if you are so inclined.

Apple assisting Authorized Repair Shops with COVID-related expenses

Written by

Joe Rossignol, MacRumors:

In an internal memo last week, obtained by MacRumors, Apple has indicated that it will assist its third-party repair partners around the world with COVID-19-related expenses, such as cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment.

And:

All eligible Apple Authorized Service Providers will receive a subsidy from Apple by way of increased payouts for each completed repair. The subsidy is retroactive and the length it is offered will depend on stay-at-home guidelines in each country. Service providers are encouraged to contact their Apple representatives for more details.

Seems a smart investment on Apple’s part, some long term thinking.

Hey Siri, what time is it in London?

Written by

John Gruber:

Nilay Patel asked this of Siri on his Apple Watch. After too long of a wait, he got the correct answer — for London Canada. I tried on my iPhone and got the same result. Stupid and slow is heck of a combination.

This is an odd and reproducible error. Fire up your iPhone and ask Siri:

What time is it in London?

I’m curious if anyone, perhaps elsewhere in the world, gets an answer other than the time in London, Canada. How about someone in the UK? Or even London, England?

More from Gruber:

Worse, I tried on my HomePod and Siri gave me the correct answer: the time in London England. I say this is worse because it exemplifies how inconsistent Siri is.

Same. iPhone Siri assumes I mean London, Canada, HomePod Siri assumes I mean London, England.

Edge cases. The bane of any developers existence.

UPDATE: I asked about this on Twitter, got some fascinating replies. In the UK, as you might expect, Siri gives the time for London, England. But in Florida, we get the time in London, England as well, as opposed to other folks in the US, who get London, Canada. Except for one user in Indiana who gets London, Ohio. And another few who get London, Kentucky.

Sounds like a proximity to London (pick the closest one) issue?

Apple shares trailer for new Apple TV+ show, “Dear…”

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[VIDEO] Apple:

From Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler, Dear… profiles game-changing icons and the people whose lives they’ve inspired.

10 icons, 10 episodes, all dropping June 5th.

Watch the trailer (embedded in the main Loop post) to get a sense of this.

Students are failing AP tests because the College Board can’t handle iPhone default photo format

Written by

Monica Chin, The Verge:

Nick Bryner, a high school senior in Los Angeles, had just completed his AP English Literature and Composition test last week. But when he snapped a photo of a written answer with his iPhone and attempted to upload it to the testing portal, it stopped responding.

The website got stuck on the loading screen until Bryner’s time ran out. Bryner failed the test. He’s retaking it in a few weeks.

In a nutshell, this is about the default file format for iPhone photos, which is HEIC, which brings higher quality images in a smaller file size than JPG. The fault here is with College Board not recognizing this issue in the first place.

This is a dumb mistake on their part. At the very least, they should have simply allowed the files to be submitted, flagging them as unreadable perhaps, but they could have solved the HEIC import problem after the fact and those test takers could have gone on to complete their tests.

Or, just saying, they could have spent a minute to test their system using an actual iPhone, which would have shown them the error of their ways.

That said, good to be aware of the iOS setting that lets you change from HEIC to JPG, in case this sort of thing ever happens to you. Head to:

Settings > Camera > Formats

You’re likely set to High Efficiency (that’s HEIC). Your other choice is Most Compatible (that’s JPG).

Scott Forstall tells story about Steve Jobs, Microsoft, and a dead fish

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[VIDEO] Scott Forstall, via Zoom, tells audience at Code Break about meeting Steve Jobs for the first time. The video is embedded in the main Loop post. Very entertaining. His part of the interview starts at about 31:51. Scott starts by talking about a formative childhood experience. The Steve Jobs bit starts at about 35:54.

Forstall is best known as the software lead for both iPhone and iPad. Here’s a link to his Wikipedia page, which is an interesting read on its own.

The story behind Mythic Quest: Quarantine, shot on 40 iPhones and designed to raise money for charity

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This is a fascinating Hollywood Reporter interview with Mythic Quest series creators Megan Ganz and Rob McElhenney. Here’s just a taste, where McElhenney talks about the technical process:

HR: So you’re all on Zoom?

McELHENNEY: Yeah, you’d open your laptop and would call into Zoom — there would either be five people on there or 45, depending on what the scene or situation was. The way we’d capture the image and the sound was through iPhones. Each actor had three iPhones, and we’d shoot one iPhone at a time. As soon as a scene was wrapped, the phone would be sterilized, packaged, put in a secure area, picked up [by a courier] and brought to editorial, sterilized again, and then the footage would be uploaded to the Avid for the editors, who were working from their homes.

HR: Back up, why did you need three phones?

McELHENNEY: To get [footage] through to editorial as fast as possible, because we wanted to get this episode done and out while we were still in quarantine. The way we’d do each scene is they’d take their laptop/desktop cameras that you would see normally for a teleconferencing thing and they’d put the iPhone directly in front of that camera, so I essentially had video village from my house. I could see what every actor’s camera is picking up and you could also see the readings for the audio. Mike, the cinematographer, could double check all the settings and make sure that everything was running at the right revolution, frame rate, etc. Then we would run the scene, and the actors would be talking to one another the same way we’re talking right now [by phone], through our AirPods.

Season One of the show is complete and available on Apple TV+. The special quarantine episode drops tomorrow.

Apple’s Exposure Notification System: Where are the apps?

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Apple rolled out iOS 13.5 yesterday (can it already be 13.5? Feels like yesterday when it was this unnumbered thing called iPhoneOS – but I digress). A big part of this update was the public release of Apple’s Exposure Notification API.

First things first, here’s a helpful guide, from Juli Clover, MacRumors, that should clear up some of the mystery and misinformation floating around.

Apple and Google developed the underlying APIs and Bluetooth functionality, but they are not developing the apps that use those APIs. Instead, the technology is being incorporated into apps designed by public health authorities worldwide, which can use the tracking information to send notifications on exposure and follow up with recommended next steps.

And there’s the rub. When you head to Settings > Privacy > Health, you’ll see a toggle to turn on COVID-19 Exposure Logging. Chances are excellent you will not be able to turn that setting on.

The explainer says:

You cannot turn on Exposure Logging without an authorized app installed that can send Exposure Notifications.

A bit down that Settings page, you’ll see a section called ACTIVE APP which lists any Exposure Notification app you have installed.

On my iPhone (and I’m betting, yours too), there’s no app installed, and no clue as to how to go looking for one.

I get that this is early days for the API rollout, but I did find this confusing. Would have been helpful to have some language in there that acknowledged the lack of apps and a pointer to a place to go look for an app for your area as they get rolled out. Perhaps a button that does a search for your area, or a map overlay with status showing any app coverage.

To be clear, the lack of apps is understandable. It takes time to create an app. But releasing the consumer-sided face of the Exposure Notification System without any apps and without a clear message on app status is confusing.

That aside, read through Juli’s writeup for a sense of what this will look like with an app installed.

Also worth reading, Ben Lovejoy’s take on this, With hindsight, Apple and Google should have created contact tracing apps.

iJustine upgrading her Mac Pro with RAM, SSD, wheels

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[VIDEO] I found this fascinating to watch from beginning to end. I love fixing stuff, digging inside any sort of machine. This scratched an itch with an experience I can only dream about. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Tom Hanks WWII film ‘Greyhound’ will premiere on Apple TV +

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[VIDEO] Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline:

In a real shocker, the WWII naval drama Greyhound that Tom Hanks wrote and stars in has abruptly changed course and will berth at Apple. Originally on the Sony Pictures theatrical calendar for Father’s Day weekend, the film instead will become the biggest feature film commitment made by Apple to premiere on Apple TV+. It is the latest in a growing indication that Apple is making its move, and becoming as aggressive as any streamer or studio in auctions for the acquisition of films and TV projects.

This is no small thing. This is right in Tom Hanks’ sweet spot, historical drama (think Apollo 13, From the Earth to the Moon, Saving Private Ryan). And circumstances plopped this right in Apple’s lap. A big win for Apple.

As to the movie:

He’ll play George Krause, a career officer finally given command of a Navy destroyer, Greyhound, during the Battle of the Atlantic, which took place in the earliest months of America’s alliance with England and the Free Forces. Along with the enemy, Krause fights his self-doubts and personal demons to prove he belongs.

Trailer embedded in main Loop post.

Apple whistleblower goes public over Siri eavesdrop ‘lack of action’

Written by

The Guardian:

Le Bonniec, 25, worked as a subcontractor for Apple in its Cork offices, transcribing user requests in English and French, until he quit in the summer of 2019 due to ethical concerns with the work. “They do operate on a moral and legal grey area,” he told the Guardian at the time, “and they have been doing this for years on a massive scale. They should be called out in every possible way.”

This news came out last summer, Apple apologized and changed their process:

Following the revelations of Le Bonniec and his colleagues, Apple promised sweeping changes to its “grading” program, which involved thousands of contractors listening to recordings made, both accidentally and deliberately, using Siri. The company apologised, brought the work in-house, and promised that it would only grade recordings from users who had explicitly opted-in to the practice.

And:

“I listened to hundreds of recordings every day, from various Apple devices (eg. iPhones, Apple Watches, or iPads). These recordings were often taken outside of any activation of Siri, eg in the context of an actual intention from the user to activate it for a request. These processings were made without users being aware of it, and were gathered into datasets to correct the transcription of the recording made by the device,” he said.

Le Bonniec’s argument seems not to take issue with Apple’s changed process, but rather that the company has not faced what he deems appropriate investigation and consequences.

Over-ear ‘AirPods Studio’ will reportedly be assembled in Vietnam in mid 2020

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Nice roll-up of all the leaks and rumors about Apple’s over-ear headphones. Product-specific leaks aside, the manufacturing aspect of this is notable. If recent reporting is to be believed, Apple is courting alternatives to Foxconn, as well as additional alternatives to China for product manufacture and assembly.

How to connect external storage to iPad & iPhone

Written by

OSXDaily:

This article is going to demonstrate how to use and connect external storage drives to iPhone or iPad, including external hard disks, USB flash drives, SD cards, and other common storage formats. You’ll then have direct access to the files on those storage mediums, right from iOS or iPadOS.

Good writeup. Worth bookmarking and passing along.

Gruber: Department of Justice reopens spat with Apple over iPhone encryption

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Start by reading this New York Times piece, F.B.I. Finds Links Between Pensacola Gunman and Al Qaeda:

The F.B.I. recently bypassed the security features on at least one of Mr. Alshamrani’s two iPhones to discover his Qaeda links. Christopher A. Wray, the director of the F.B.I., said the bureau had “effectively no help from Apple,” but he would not say how investigators obtained access to the phone.

Gruber then proceeds to take down the Times’ narrative, piece-by-piece, with a quote Apple shared with the media in response to the FBI’s “no help” claim, ending his take with this:

Apple cooperated in every way they technically could. The DOJ is not asking for Apple’s cooperation unlocking existing iPhones — they’re asking Apple to make future iPhones insecure.

Gruber’s take is worth reading, soup to nuts. He does a solid job responding to the “make a backdoor that only white hats can get through” argument, an impossible ask.

I’d only add this little nugget, from NBCNews, that might explain how the FBI got in:

Software called Hide UI, created by Grayshift, a company that makes iPhone-cracking devices for law enforcement, can track a suspect’s passcode when it’s entered into a phone, according to two people in law enforcement, who asked not to be named out of fear of violating non-disclosure agreements.

The spyware, a term for software that surreptitiously tracks users, has been available for about a year but this is the first time details of its existence have been reported, in part because of the non-disclosure agreements police departments sign when they buy a device from Grayshift known as GrayKey.

It’s a cat and mouse game. IMO, a very important one.

Apple TV+ acquiring older movies and shows for their catalog

Written by

Bloomberg:

Apple Inc. is acquiring older movies and shows for its TV+ streaming service, aiming to build a back catalog of content that can better stack up against the huge libraries available on Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.

And:

The company’s video-programming executives have taken pitches from Hollywood studios about licensing older content for TV+ and have bought some shows and movies, according to people familiar with the matter.

No specifics. And I’ve not yet seen outside content appearing on Apple TV+.

But I did notice an ad for a new, non-Apple, Scooby Doo movie on Apple’s front page the other day. I can’t ever remember Apple placing an ad on their front page that wasn’t specifically tied to an Apple product.

Wonder if this was simply a push to get folks to buy/rent the movie on Apple TV. Or if this is a bit of a sign of Apple TV+ loosening the “only original content” restriction.

Apple TV+ announces special quarantine episode of “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet”

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[VIDEO] Apple:

Apple today announced that its critically hailed workplace comedy series, “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet,” will return Friday, May 22, with the debut of “Mythic Quest: Quarantine,” a special new episode written, filmed and edited in quarantine.

Big fan of this show. The quarantine episode was filmed (as you’d expect) entirely on iPhones.

The trailer is embedded in the main Loop post.

Map made with 222 fonts named for US cities

Written by

The Statesider:

Before 1984, I had never encountered the word “font.” Then a Macintosh computer showed up in my house.

A beige block with a too-small black and white screen and a thingy called a “mouse,” the first thing I saw when I turned it on was “Welcome to Macintosh” in what I would soon learn was a font called Chicago.

The linked map is interesting. Had no idea there were so many US-city-named fonts. Obviously, a world map would have a ton more.

But the mention of the original Macintosh fonts brought me down a bit of a rabbit hole. Can you name the original Mac fonts? Here’s a link to a Wikipedia page that has the answer.

Apple releases annual Apple Watch Pride Edition bands

Written by

Apple:

Like most high school seniors, Elle Smith hasn’t had the year they imagined. Prom was cancelled. A graduation ceremony is up in the air. But one thing Elle hasn’t compromised on is weekly virtual meetings of their Austin, Texas, high school’s Genders and Sexualities Alliance, a club for LGBTQ students and allies to come together and find community. Elle restarted the club their freshman year and has led it ever since.

And:

It’s this commitment to community and advocacy that led to Elle’s being named Student Advocate of the Year by GLSEN, a US-based LGBTQ organization that has inspired and helps lead a global movement to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying in schools. GLSEN supports student advocates like Elle and provides the resources that help them change their communities, one conversation at a time.

And:

GLSEN is just one of the organizations whose work on behalf of LGBTQ people Apple directly supports with its annual Apple Watch Pride Edition band and face collection.

Here’s a link to the Pride Edition Sport Band, and to the Pride Edition Nike Sport Band.

Finding an Apple IIe just sitting out with the trash

Written by

Charlie Harrington:

Not one block away from our house did I spot something: a yellowed plastic box amid a pile of trash. No. It couldn’t be. I stopped, and went back to the trash.

It was an Apple IIe. With its CRT monitor. And a dual floppy drive.

Just. SITTING. THERE.

This is a pretty fun read. I have to say, if I came across an Apple II, just sitting in someone’s trash, I would definitely grab it, if only for nostalgia’s sake.

How about you?