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The Privacy-Moves Edition Friday, January 8, 2021

Apple Unveils Stringent Disclosure And Opt-in Privacy Requirements For Apps, by Glenn Fleishman, TidBITS

Apple’s privacy moves might topple some dark ad giants who don’t deliver for advertisers (or publishers) and have managed to hide their incompetence behind Rube Goldberg contraptions. It’s not unthinkable that Apple could help sweep in a simpler, more direct, and less intrusive advertising that resembles the Internet’s earlier days.

That’s probably too optimistic, but let’s start with the changes Apple has already made and the opt-in requirement on third-party tracking about to emerge.

Stuff

Two Months With The HomePod Mini: More Than Meets The Eye, by John Voorhees, MacStories

The combination of size, price, and unique features make it more than just a speaker for playing audio. That flexibility has made the HomePod mini a terrific fit for a broader range of situations than the original model. The audio quality of the original HomePod will always win out if I want to sit down and focus on music, but for getting things done around the house while enjoying music and podcasts, the HomePod mini is an excellent alternative that I expect will fit neatly into many more users’ lives.

TripMode 3 Review: Data-Saving App Is A Must-Have For Canadians, by Gary Ng, iPhone In Canada

For Canadians with limited data plans, TripMode allows you to connect to your hotspot connection safely, and limit any apps sapping up your data connection in the background. It’s a must-have app for those who work on the go.

LongPlay: Listen To Your Favorite Albums, by Jason Snell, Six Colors

What it does is incredibly simple: It shows you the albums in your Apple Music library. You can sort them by personal popularity, in alphabetical order, grouped by color, or (very cleverly) to highlight albums you love but haven’t listened to in a while.

Notes

FTC Commissioners Criticize Apple And Google In Settlement With Mobile Ad Company, by Megan Graham, Lauren Feiner, CNBC

The Federal Trade Commission said Thursday it has settled with mobile advertising company Tapjoy over claims it used false advertising offers for the promise of in-game rewards that weren't given.

But regulators also said Apple and Google helped create the environment that squeezes mobile gaming industry players and incentivizes them to find other monetization models that may have unsavory consequences for consumers.

Hyundai's Confusion Over Apple Electric Car Tie-up, by BBC

The South Korean car company initially said it was in the "early stage" of talks with the iPhone maker about a possible electric car partnership.

But hours later it backtracked and said it was talking with a number of potential partners without naming Apple.

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Please, continue to stay safe. I hope February will be better than January.

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Thanks for reading.