iOS is a complex, integrated system that wasn’t designed to be separated into the component parts required by the DMA. Maybe it shouldn’t have been designed that way over a decade ago, but that’s where we are today, so pulling it apart is complex by its very nature. Just look at the over 600 APIs introduced to make these changes possible. Moreover, no matter what Apple does, its one-stop-shop that handles everything from hosting apps to payment processing is easier than putting those pieces together ad hoc.
My belief is that the bigger developers will raise concerns about this fee to the EU and the regulators will pressure Apple to scrap it. I don’t expect Apple to give in easily, but there are two possible compromises. The company could raise the threshold from 1 million annual installs to, say, 5 million or 10 million. Or it could remove the fee for developers in the small-business program.
One developer who had a few hundred thousand app installations last year told Power On that there wouldn’t be an incentive to make an app under these terms.
But developers don’t have to. They can just stick with the old 15%-30% fee structure if they want. Those developers just have to agree not to use third-party payment systems or app stores, and embrace the status quo instead — which is just what Apple would have preferred from the start.
Apple deems a location significant based on how often and when a user visits it. This data is typically used for things like Siri Suggestions and Memories in the Photos app, but as it’s also used for Stolen Device Protection, this can be concerning if you frequent a particular bar or cafe, notes popular technology YouTuber ThioJoe in a post on Twitter (X).
During a moment of celebration and reflection, Apple welcomes the year of the Dragon by telling the story of a young girl battling with her insecurities and how she is able to overcome them on her own. Titled “Little Garlic,” the film and Apple send a timely message addressing the insecurity felt by Gen Z in China.
Apple today promoted the Vision Pro in a new video ad shared on its YouTube channel, ahead of the headset launching in the U.S. this Friday, February 2.
A few minutes ago, I opened the new Arc Search app and typed, “What happened in the Chiefs game.” That game, the AFC Championship, had just wrapped up. Normally, I’d Google it, click on a few links, and read about the game that way. But in Arc Search, I typed the query and tapped the “Browse for me” button instead.
Spreadsheet blunders aren’t just frustrating personal inconveniences. They can have serious consequences. And in the last few years alone, there have been a myriad of spreadsheet horror stories.
Yet another annoyances on iOS:
On every play/pause button in every app on my iPhone -- whether it's the Apple Music app, or a third-party audiobook app, or a third-party podcast client app, the behavior is the same. While listening to audio, I can tap and hold on the play/pause button, wait for a suitable to stop the audio (such as the end of a sentence), release the play/pause button, and the audio will immediately pause.
Except for the Now Playing widget on the lock screen. If you tap and hold for a moment longer than a second, release the button doesn't do anything.
Frustrating.
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Thanks for reading.