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The Left-Off-Yesterday Edition Saturday, February 5, 2022

Hear Me Out: Browser Tabs In Music Player Apps, by Catie Keck, The Verge

A problem with modern music apps like Spotify and Apple Music is that they’re already jumbled from the jump. The second you open one, you’re bombarded with promotional columns, “made for you” playlists you may not even use, new releases, and stuff you’ve recently listened to and may never want to hear again. It makes it that much harder to remember where you left off yesterday when you open the app.

Cloud Storage Forecast Unsettled, With Possible Storms, by Adam Engst, TidBITS

Long ago, cloud storage meant Dropbox. With the rise of Apple’s iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Microsoft’s OneDrive, the enterprise-focused Box, and a host of competitors, it has become near-impossible to keep track of everything that affects regular users of cloud storage services. Here’s an attempt to bring those who don’t pay close attention to the field up to date.

Coming Soon?

Apple Aims To Debut A New Low-Cost 5G iPhone And iPad In Early March, by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

Apple Inc. is targeting a date on or near March 8 to unveil a new low-cost iPhone and an updated iPad, according to people with knowledge of the matter, kicking off a potentially record-setting year for product launches.

[...]

In addition to announcing new devices, the company is planning to release iOS 15.4 in the first half of March, the people said. The software update will add Face ID support for people wearing masks to iPhones and iPads, making it easier for users to unlock their devices.

On App Stores

Apple Begins The Great App Store Cost Negotiation, by Jonny Evans, Computerworld

The only legitimate question at the root of the whole debate is how much any platform, or any retailer, can reasonably charge for inclusion of third-party products on their platform.

That’s a fundamental business question with potential impact across multiple industries and across every nation, not a ‘good versus evil’ mystery play that needs some knee-jerk response. And don’t even get me started on sideloading.

How Your iPhone Could Change If The Feds End Apple’s App Store Monopoly, by Mark Sullivan, Fast Company

“There’s no denying that Apple’s app review process—although not perfect—does a great job at filtering out scam/malicious apps, because every app is reviewed by at least one real person,” Testut says. “Allowing users to install apps directly from the web or third-party app stores makes it far too easy for regular consumers to shoot themselves in the foot.”

If forced into allowing unvetted apps onto the iPhone, Apple could also decide to play hardball, suggests longtime Apple pundit and Relay Ventures partner Horace Dediu. “Apple could just void warranties if anyone” installs apps outside of the App Store,” he notes, adding that there may be legal questions over whether the company could legally do that.

Stuff

Apple Music 3-month Free Trial Now Requires AirPods, HomePod, Or Beats Purchase, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

The three-month free trial helped set Apple Music apart from competitors like Spotify when it initially launched in 2015, but the service is now offering the industry-standard of one month free.

These 5 Phone Camera Tricks Will Add Some Flair To Your Instagram, by Andrew Hoyle, CNET

When it comes to taking photos for social media, you can never go wrong with a nice selfie or a quirky group portrait. But why not spice things up with some artistic phone photography from time to time?

Notes

Apple's Retention Strategy Is Incentivizing Staff To Leave, by Kelly Main, Inc

While the flat-rate stock bonus could prove to be worth a fortune in the future, it comes at the expensive of feeling oddly cheap. It undermines its staff, divides its team, and leaves many to feel undervalued-or worse, unvalued.

Bottom of the Page

I'm not sure if I want tabs in my Apple Music, but I think I get the sentiment. My solution -- if I may call it that -- is also to make Apple Music app more like a web browser by adding bookmarks. Currently, there are too much navigations needed to get to where I want.

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Thanks for reading.