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The Default-App Edition Thursday, February 20, 2020

Apple Weighs Letting Users Switch Default iPhone Apps To Rivals, by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

The technology giant is discussing whether to let users choose third-party web browser and mail applications as their default options on Apple’s mobile devices, replacing the company’s Safari browser and Mail app, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Also under discussion at Apple is whether to let users set competing music services as the default with Siri on iPhones and iPads, the people said. Currently, Apple Music is the default music app. If the company changes the arrangement, a user would be able to play music from Spotify or Pandora automatically when asking Siri for a song.

Stuff

Photoshop Turns 30, Updated With Dark Mode Support On Mac And Object Selection Tool On iPad, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

On the iPad, the headline new feature is the Object Selection tool, which can automatically find the object within a selected area for you based on Adobe Sensei machine learning.

Microsoft Releases New All-in-one Office App For iOS And Android, by Samuel Axon, Ars Technica

Today, Microsoft launched the Microsoft Office app for iOS and Android. It combines PowerPoint, Word, and Excel into one application, and it adds a number of mobile-oriented features.

Notes

Apple’s Outlook Cut Revives Questions About China Over-Reliance, by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

Moving entirely out of China would be practically impossible for Apple in the short term, given the scale of its established network and the country’s incomparable ability to mobilize a workforce of millions. Similarly strong disruption threats to its supply chain arose in 2018 and 2019, largely spurred by trade war conflagrations, but Cook’s team has held steadfast in its commitment to the region and hasn’t shown any significant momentum toward a major move out.

“Apple’s supply chain in China is so tight and large, it would be difficult to replicate outside the region,” Cross said. “I think you’ll continue to see small expansions into India, but the vast majority of production will remain in China.”

Tim Cook Tells Weibo Apple Is Committed To Supporting Local Communities In Wake Of Coronavirus Outbreak, by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5Mac

Apple CEO Tim Cook posted on Weibo this morning, sharing his support for the people and communities in China in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Computer Scientist Responsible For Cut, Copy, And Paste, Has Passed Away, by Andrew Liszewski, Gizmodo

The advent of the personal computer wasn’t just about making these powerful machines available to everyone, it was also about making them accessible and usable, even for those lacking a computer science degree. Larry Tesler, who passed away on Monday, might not be a household name like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, but his contributions to making computers and mobile devices easier to use are the highlight of a long career influencing modern computing.

Bottom of the Page

Those who think that Apple simply copied whatever they saw at Xerox Parc and called it a Mac are ignorant of all the innovations Apple bought to the desk.

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