Apple has issued a statement outlining its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the most notable new addition being the closure of all Apple retail stores outside of China.
Like other big tech companies, Apple has canceled the in-person part of its developer conference. However, in a textbook case of putting the best face on a bad situation, Apple has cast the change as a new online format that will let many more developers participate.
We’re having trouble paying attention to anything outside the COVID-19 news, so here’s what we think we can contribute at the moment. Let us know what else you might like to hear from TidBITS on this topic.
Leap years have been on the Julian calendar since it was put into effect in 45 BCE. A recent customer service failure shows Apple’s back-end developers are still trying to figure it out.
Many interpreted the Apple Independent Repair Program as an olive branch to third-party repair shops, but Motherboard has found businesses balking at Apple’s “onerous” terms.
How did Apple do in 2019? Jason Snell has once again gathered opinions from a large panel of Apple observers—including a number of people from the TidBITS crew—to issue his annual Apple report card.
As Apple watches its iPhone sales growth slow, the company has had to focus ever harder on keeping its parts costs low. In such situations, Tim Cook looks to one man: Vice President of Procurement Tony Blevins.
Thanks to the iPhone 11, Apple’s iPhone product segment saw a return to growth in Q1 2020, while iPad and Mac sales were off. Meanwhile, the Wearables and Services categories continue to grow.
Perhaps predictably, Apple has sent a swarm of lawyers after the Unofficial Apple Archive, issuing over 3700 DMCA takedown orders.
Benjamin Mayo of 9to5Mac has compressed the last decade of Apple history into a single long Web page. It’s a great reminder of just how much has happened in the last ten years.
Skyrocketing revenues in Services and Wearables more than made up for a decline in iPhone revenues, proving that Apple is no longer just the iPhone company.
Despite saying nothing during its iPhone announcement event, Apple has quietly revealed that iOS 13 will ship on September 19th, with iOS 13.1 following soon after on September 30th. With no other word from Cupertino, Adam Engst makes some guesses about macOS 10.15 Catalina, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13.
Top Apple executives have acknowledged that Apple’s own apps have enjoyed a search ranking advantage in the App Store. Apple says it has adjusted the search algorithm, but the lack of oversight may have already damaged the company.
Apple’s next big event will be held on 10 September 2019. Expect new iPhones, operating system ship dates, and maybe even one more thing!
After a whistleblower revealed that Apple contractors were listening in on Siri conversations, Apple shut down the program and promised improvements. Here they are.