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The Direct-Consequences Edition Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Apple’s Biggest Scandal Of 2022 Is Already Happening, by Lucas Matney, TechCrunch

For a nascent product category with such PR liability potential, it’s hard to see how Apple justifies continuing to sell AirTags. It’s a unique error from Apple in that the company delivered exactly what they initially promised but failed to consider the full scope of that initial promise’s direct consequences.

Apple To Allow Alternative Payment System For 1st Time In S. Korea, by Yonhap, The Korea Herald

Apple said it plans to provide an alternative payment system at a reduced service charge compared with the current 30 percent charge, as the tech giant turned in its compliance plans to the Korea Communications Commission (KCC).

The company did not provide the exact date of when the policy will take effect or the service fee to be applied but said it plans to discuss with the KCC on further details.

Stuff

These App Alternatives Are Faster Than Apple Music, by Pranay Parab, Lifehacker

Apple Music may be a great service for streaming and discovering music, but it iPhone app tends to be much slower and buggier than your expect from a flagship Apple product. This is definitely a case where third party apps can offer a better experience, speeding up your access to your music and reducing your frustration. Here are four great alternatives to the Apple Music app.

Apple Discontinues Years-old Beats Pill+ Bluetooth Speaker With No Replacement, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

Apple appears to have officially discontinued the Beats Pill+ portable Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in 2015. The speaker was actually the first totally new product to come from Apple under the Beats brand following its $3 billion acquisition of the company in 2014. The product has now been discontinued without a clear replacement.

Apple Puts Beddit To Rest As Apple Series 8 Rumors Suggest Upgraded Sleep Tracking, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

Apple has quietly stopped selling its Beddit Sleep Monitor in the United States and other countries, nearly five years after it first announced its acquisition of the Beddit sleep tracking company.

Your Best Wellness Move In 2022 Is...Breathing, by Dave Holmes, Esquire

It’s a fresh new year, and if you’re looking to greet it with some healthier habits, I have something wonderful to share. A new wave in wellness has arrived, and it is as challenging as it is therapeutic as it is, legitimately, life-changing. It’s called “breathing,” and you may have the tools to get started right now.

Notes

Apple Card Account Verification Considered Harmful., by Waldo Jaquith

The Apple Card is with Goldman Sachs. Somebody was stealing our credit card! I immediately locked our cards, which is a trivial setting on iOS, and my wife called the Apple Card’s support number to report the fraud.

That was when the employee at the support number—an apparent Goldman Sachs employee—provided some surprising information: the call had been legitimate. Goldman Sachs, in Apple’s name, had used a classic identity-theft ruse.

Bottom of the Page

This is my second week of partial back-to-office, and it seems so normal now. I can get used to this.

On the other hand, it is 'officially' still 50% maximum allowed at office here in Singapore. If this is over, and everyone is out and about, I wonder how much anxiety I will have during my commute.

On the third hand, maybe I'll be out of a job then. :-)

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I don't think Apple should ignore all these AirTags issues. Got to start working with Google.

(I have no idea how misuse of AirTags can be detected for someone without smartphones.)

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Thanks for reading.