Epic:

Apple is blocking Fortnite updates and new installs on the App Store, and has said they will terminate our ability to develop Fortnite for Apple devices. As a result, Fortnite’s newly released Chapter 2 – Season 4 update (v14.00), will not release on iOS and macOS on August 27.

This whole situation makes me sad. Seems like only yesterday Epic excitedly showed off their upcoming Fortnite title at the 2015 WWDC keynote.

Check it out.

Bloomberg:

AirPods have come to define the true wireless (TWS) earphones category, with Apple accounting for nearly half of all sales in 2019 and expected to grow to 82 million units this year, according to Counterpoint Research data. More affordable alternatives from Chinese rivals, however, have eroded Apple’s lead and the Silicon Valley company now finds itself with just over a third of the market, at 35%, followed by Xiaomi Corp. with 10% and Samsung Electronics Co. on 6%, according to the researchers.

Follow the link, check the pie chart to see how splintered the earbuds market has become. It’d be interesting to see a pie chart based purely on iPhone users. It’d also be interesting to see a pie chart based on revenue, rather than units sold.

Apple made the market, showed the world how much money there was in making/selling earbuds. The market matured and the lower end of the market was underserved, the other makers filled the vacuum.

Also interesting that this same market phenomenon does not seem to apply to the Apple Watch. This tech is just harder to master, for one thing. But earbuds are also easier to divorce from an ecosystem designed to include it.

Apple TV+ today unveiled a first look at a trio of documentary series that celebrate humanity and the wonder of the natural world, premiering globally this fall. Led by a star-studded lineup of narrators, including Oscar and Golden Globe winner Olivia Colman, Golden Globe winner Tom Hiddleston and Golden Globe nominee Paul Rudd, each new Apple Original will showcase never-before-seen footage, groundbreaking technology and dynamic storytelling.

All three look wonderful.

Facebook today warned advertisers that Apple’s upcoming anti-tracking tools could cause a more than 50 percent drop in Audience Network publisher revenue due to the removal of personalization from ads within apps.

In a blog post, Facebook said that it does not collect the identifier from advertisers (IDFA) from Facebook-owned apps on iOS 14 devices, as Apple added a feature that requires users to agree to ad tracking to prevent cross-app and cross-site tracking used to provide targeted ads. Facebook says that it’s not a change that it wants to make, but Apple has “forced this decision.”

I’m sure Facebook posted this message hoping for sympathy from the public. All I have to say is thank you, Apple!

Epic has confirmed it will not be releasing its upcoming Fortnite season, Chapter 2: Season 4, for iOS or macOS, saying the ongoing antitrust feud with Apple over in-app payment processing and other App Store disputes has blocked it from issuing updates and new installs on Apple devices.

I think Epic expected the judge to issue an order forcing Apple to put Fortnite back in the App Store before the launch of the newest season. That didn’t happen. I don’t think Epic is going to like the way this plays out.

In the new feature, elements of a TV show, like characters or objects, would be displayed on a viewer’s phone or tablet and integrated into the surrounding environment, according to people familiar with the project. For example, someone watching a moon-walking scene in the Apple show “For All Mankind” might be able to see a virtual lunar rover on their device’s display, seemingly perched atop their living room coffee table. The option would serve as bonus content akin to the director commentary or trailer that accompany a movie download and would be accessed from Apple’s TV app on the iPhone or iPad.

The AR feature is expected to debut next year, ahead of an Apple headset in 2022 that will be built around augmented and virtual reality, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to discuss the plan publicly. A release of the TV+ feature had previously been set for later this year, but the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on software development and film production impeded that goal. Apple could ultimately decide to scrap the plan, the people said. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

This may be fascinating for users of Apple TV+ and will most definitely bring AR to more people, but I’m still waiting for the app or service that will bring AR to the masses.

iOS 14 beta 6 includes new UI that lets users recommend a place with a thumbs up or thumbs down. The rating system can differentiate between categories, so users can rate the quality of purchased products in a shop highly even if they didn’t get the best service. At least at this early stage, the rating UI is only visible for a small subset of all POIs on the map.

I really dislike Yelp—I don’t trust the reviews and it seems like a system that is abused a lot. Apple is also trying to prevent abuse of its system.

Apple is using on-device machine learning to present POI rating opportunities when it sees that someone has visited a place several times. The company will also be doing some checks to try and prevent abuse, such as only accepting ratings from people that have physically visited the place.

I like that. Of course, that’s the way it should be, but not always the way it’s been. This system may not be perfect, but they are taking steps to ensure it’s not abused.

Today Apple is updating Final Cut Pro X with powerful new features designed to enhance remote workflows and speed up editing for content creators. Improvements in creating and managing proxy media provide editors with portability and performance when working with large resolution formats, or when collaborating remotely. New social media tools automate video cropping in square, vertical, and other custom sizes for popular social media platforms, and new workflow improvements enhance the versatility and performance of Final Cut Pro — making the Mac stronger than ever for all video editors and motion graphics artists.

I wondered about the social media video cropping in a high-end tool like FCPX, but it makes sense these days—everyone is posting video to their networks, even studios. Apple also said they updated Motion and Compressor as well.

John Gruber:

Months ago, when I first started grocery shopping while wearing a mask, I switched my iPhone from an alphanumeric passphrase back to a 6-digit passcode for convenience. I did so thinking, basically, that even though a 6-digit passcode is less secure, anything truly dangerous like disabling Find My iPhone requires my iCloud password as well.

It simply never occurred to me that if a thief (or law enforcement, or any adversary) has the device passcode, and your iCloud password is in your keychain, they can get your iCloud password from your keychain. All you need is the device passcode to access all of the passwords in iCloud keychain. Try it — you can.

Go read the linked Daring Fireball post. Imagine if someone had your passcode, not just access to your unlocked phone, but the passcode itself, then had access to all the passwords in your iCloud Keychain. That is one helluva security nightmare.

Anyone disagree with this assessment? Is there a missing element here?

This is a great video from Jeff Benjamin, 9to5Mac, all about the nano-textured glass offered as a $500 upgrade to Apple’s 2020 iMac.

Watch the whole video, but pay specific attention at about 1:28 in, where you see the direct comparison between regular and nano-textured glass, when it comes to reflection. If that matters to you, at least $500 worth, get the nano-textured glass. And be sure to clean it with the provided cloth.

The Verge:

Epic Games just won a temporary restraining order against Apple — at least in part. Effective immediately, Apple can’t retaliate against Epic Games by terminating the company’s Apple developer accounts or restricting use of Epic’s Unreal Engine by developers on Apple platforms.

That’s half of what was at issue. And, to the massive community of developers who depend on Unreal Engine, a critical ruling.

But in the same ruling, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers decided that Apple will not be required to bring Fortnite — which it had banned after Epic added an in-app payment system in violation of Apple’s rules — back to the App Store.

And that’s the other half. Impacting Fortnite fans, perhaps, but not much more than a tiny ripple in the ocean of iOS apps.

This battle is just beginning. A few more things to read:

• The New York Times: To Fight Apple and Google’s Grip, Fortnite Creator Mounts a Crusade, a profile on Epic CEO Tim Sweeney (thus the “Battle of the Tims” tag you might encounter).

• The legal order itself. Scroll down to the Analysis section on page 4. Key to the whole thing is the issue of “irreparable harm”. In a nutshell, the judge ruled that Fortnite would not suffer irreparable harm if it was blocked from the App Store. At the same time, the judge ruled that Unreal Engine would suffer irreparable harm if Epic’s developer account was terminated.

More to come. Much more.

Associated Press:

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who died in 2011, was a tough act to follow. But Tim Cook seems to be doing so well at it that his eventual successor may also have big shoes to fill.

Yesterday was the 9th anniversary of Tim taking over for Steve. This AP article is a short recap of Tim’s time at the helm.

One particular highlight that stands out:

Asked what the company might look like under his management, Cook said that Apple needs “to own and control the primary technologies behind the products we make.” It has doubled down on that commitment, becoming a major chip producer in order to supply both iPhones and Macs. He added that Apple would resist exploring most projects “so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us.”

Good read.

In celebration of the US National Park Service’s 104th birthday, on August 25, Apple today is introducing new ways for customers to support America’s parks — in person or from home. A new Apple Pay donation program, Apple Watch Activity Challenge, and special content collections give people the chance to experience the parks and learn more about what makes them an incredible national resource. These collections will be available in the Apple TV app, Apple Music, and the App Store.

From August 24 through 30, Apple will make a $10 donation to the National Park Foundation for each purchase made with Apple Pay on apple.com, in the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store in the US.

This is great, cheers Apple.

Colette and The Imitation Game star Keira Knightley has found her next period drama – an adaptation of Sarah Perry’s novel The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+.

The Essex Serpent follows newly widowed Cora, played by Knightley, who, having being released from an abusive marriage, relocates from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex, intrigued by a local superstition that a mythical creature known as the Essex Serpent has returned to the area.

I’m a big fan of period dramas, so this one interests me. Again, Apple is showing its willingness to sign a variety of shows to Apple TV+.

I have done this so many times in Photoshop. Amazing to read that I can do this in Preview. Will definitely be giving this a try.

The Ringer:

The Apple TV+ series, which is based on a character from an old NBC Premier League ad campaign, is somehow one of the most touching shows of 2020

And:

It was hard not to be skeptical when AppleTV+ first announced Ted Lasso. Even with the pedigree of veteran showrunner Bill Lawrence (Scrubs, Cougar Town, the tragically short-lived Whiskey Cavalier), there didn’t seem to be much there in terms of a series. The “character” of Ted Lasso, as one-dimensional as it was, originated from a couple of NBC promos when it acquired the television rights to the English Premier League. The idea was that an American football coach, played by Jason Sudeikis, was hired as the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur. Most of the jokes stemmed from Lasso being out of his depth, from one sport called football to another. (Ted Lasso is unaware that you can end a soccer match with a draw, among many other things.)

Let me just step in here and say, I absolutely felt the same way when I first saw this show premise. The problem, I think, was that the trailers highlighted the dumb, without the warmth, without the charm.

Ted Lasso the sitcom … seriously rules. The series has no right to be as good, funny, and moving as it is. And yet I devoured all 10 episodes in a single day while frantically messaging my editor in disbelief that this is one of my favorite new shows. As far as TV productions go, this might as well be Leicester City winning the Premier League.

I’m telling you, this might be the best Apple TV+ series. Absolutely worth your time. A bit like Scrubs, but more long arcs, less slapstick. And ignore the trailers. This is not a jokey show, this is all about character, driven by Jason Sudeikis and his pitch perfect take.

Side note to Bill Lawrence: Consider a trailer based on the box of treats Ted brings to his boss every morning. That’s a perfect example of the heart of this show. Why does this work? I don’t know. Heartstrings mixed with a bit of mystery? Whatever it is, the trailers are missing the magic part that makes this show so great.

The Marina Bay Sands Apple Store is close to ready to open. Follow the headline link, check out the mini-gallery, two pictures that show a before and after of the sphere that does, indeed, sit on the water.

And here’s Apple’s official page for the store.

Juli Clover, MacRumors:

Enterprising eBay sellers are hoping people who are desperate to play Fortnite will pay high prices for iPhones with the game installed, and there are currently hundreds of iPhone listings on eBay advertising the Fortnite app as a purchase perk.

This seems crazy to me. Can’t imagine anyone actually paying money for this. Puzzled as to what people hope to gain by putting up such outrageous asks. Hoping someone accidentally gets sucked in? Yeesh.

Inc:

Google Chrome has been the most popular web browser on both Macs and PCs for a long time. There’s really no question that compared to what came before, it was a huge step forward and made web browsing a noticeably better experience.

But, and let’s be honest here, Chrome has its problems. It sucks battery life and processing power out of your laptop and it’s definitely not the fastest web browser anymore. It also does far less than other browsers to protect your privacy and keep your data secure.

I know a lot of people who stuck with Chrome, partly for the extensions, partly for the 4K, and in spite of the battery suck.

Which brings us back to macOS 11, and the latest version of Safari, which comes with a bunch of updates that not only make browsing the web faster and safer, but more productive as well.

Make no mistake, all of these changes are a direct assault on Google’s dominance the web. There are very few things you can do online that don’t touch at least one of Google’s services, and Apple would very much like to change that.

Interesting take. Wonder if these new Safari features and efficiencies will be enough do sway users from Chrome back to Safari.

Nice write-up (with lots of clarifying screenshots) from Jeff Johnson on where Apple is going with Gatekeeper and signing on the Mac, especially with the coming of Apple silicon-based Macs.

If you are not a developer, this is still worth a look. Think about the current experience of running an app you downloaded from the internet, as opposed to from the Mac App Store. Apple is slowly tightening the screws, from the olden days of “run whatever you want” to “we highly discourage this practice”.

The sequence of pictures really tells this story.

Porsche:

From the touchscreen display in the Porsche Advanced Cockpit, Apple Music subscribers can stream over 60 million songs ad-free, thousands of curated playlists, and the Beats 1 global livestream with three-year complimentary in-car music streaming in the Taycan. This is the first-ever full integration of Apple Music in any vehicle.

That Beats 1 reference is now dated. But I digress.

Highlights of the collaboration:

• Porsche Voice Assistant: Use custom Porsche voice control to request songs, albums, playlists, or radio stations on Apple Music.
• Discover on Broadcast Radio, Listen on Apple Music: Create your own custom station on Apple Music from any song you find while listening to broadcast radio.
• Exclusive Playlists: Listen to curated playlists from Porsche, only on Apple Music.
• In-Car Streaming Data: Complimentary in-car music streaming for 3 years.
• Up to Six Months Included: New and existing Porsche owners get up to 6 months free of Apple Music.

Also:

Taycan drivers can pair a Burmester High-End Surround Sound System with Apple Digital Masters and enjoy studio-quality sound for an unparalleled listening experience in every journey. Apple Digital Masters delivers music as artists and sound engineers intend it to be heard.

Here’s the details on Apple Digital Masters.

MacObserver:

If you are currently an Apple TV+ and CBS All Access (CBSAA) subscriber, you can get SHOWTIME free. Your subscription status will automatically reflect the new bundle. However, there’s a slight trick involved.

Read the post for the details, one of those things that’s good to know, even if it doesn’t apply to you, on the off chance you know someone it’d help.

From the fine print:

With Apple TV+, add SHOWTIME to CBS All Access at no cost. Without Apple TV+, it’s $20.98/mo.

That’s a pretty penny. Check out the Showtime web site to see what they have to offer.

Some beautiful design here. Heads up, there’s a lot of motion on the page, so keep in mind if that’s an issue for you.

I particularly love the ease-in animation as you move from day to night. Watch the menu bar disappear as you hit that midpoint. Lovely stuff.

Ben Evans:

Apple changed how software development worked, and by doing so expanded the number of people who could comfortably, safely use a computer from a few hundred million to a few billion.

And, three problems Apple took on:

• Putting apps in a sandbox, where they can only do things that Apple allows and cannot ask (or persuade, or trick) the user for permission to do ‘dangerous’ things, means that apps become completely safe. A horoscope app can’t break your computer, or silt it up, or run your battery down, or watch your web browser and steal your bank details.

• An app store is a much better way to distribute software. Users don’t have to mess around with installers and file management to put a program onto their computer – they just press ‘Get’. If you (or your customers) were technical this didn’t seem like a problem, but for everyone else with 15 copies of the installer in their download folder, baffled at what to do next, this was a huge step forward.

• Asking for a credit card to buy an app online created both a friction barrier and a safety barrier – ‘can I trust this company with my card?’ Apple added frictionless, safe payment.

And:

All of this levelled the playing field. You knew you could trust Adobe or EA with your credit card, and you knew you could trust them not to abuse your PC too much. Panic, Rogue Amoeba or Basecamp have accumulated reputations that mean they get trust too, for tech insiders who’ve known about them for years. But what about a random Vietnamese developer who’s made a fun little game about a bird that flaps? The iOS software model removed trust as a problem, and as an advantage for big companies.

And:

When your product has a few points of market share you can make whatever choices you like, but when you dominate the market, other rules start applying. Apple isn’t the pirates anymore – it’s the navy, the port and the customs house. In the last few weeks, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Epic have been stopped at customs.

Fascinating perspective. Great read.

New York Times:

The stocks of Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Facebook, the five largest publicly traded companies in America, rose 37 percent in the first seven months this year, while all the other stocks in the S&P 500 fell a combined 6 percent.

And:

Those five companies now constitute 20 percent of the stock market’s total worth, a level not seen from a single industry in at least 70 years. Apple’s stock market value, the highest of the bunch, is nearly $2 trillion — double what it was just 21 weeks ago.

And:

“Covid was the perfect positive storm for these guys,” said Thomas Philippon, a professor of finance at New York University.

And let’s not forget about the billionaires. Jump to this Statista post and scroll down to the chart showing the massive growth in billionaire wealth since March 18th.