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The Demands-of-DMA Edition Friday, February 16, 2024

Apple Confirms iOS 17.4 Removes Home Screen Web Apps In The EU, Here’s Why, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

Apple explains that it would have to build an “entirely new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS” to address the “complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps using alternative browser engines.”

This work “was not practical to undertake given the other demands of the DMA and the very low user adoption of Home Screen web apps,” Apple explains. “And so, to comply with the DMA’s requirements, we had to remove the Home Screen web apps feature in the EU.”

Apple Vision

Apple Arcade Takes Players Into A New Dimension With Spatial Gaming, by Apple

“This is just the beginning of a new era in gaming, with players being fully immersed in stunning game worlds and interacting with games in their physical environment in amazing new ways,” said Alex Rofman, Apple’s senior director of Apple Arcade. “We’re leading the way in offering players unique spatial games on Apple Arcade that are only possible on Apple Vision Pro, and we’re excited to bring even more magical spatial gaming experiences to our customers soon.”

[...]

Spatial games available now on Apple Arcade include Game Room, WHAT THE GOLF?, Cut the Rope 3, Jetpack Joyride 2, Patterned, Illustrated, Wylde Flowers, stitch., Synth Riders, LEGO Builder’s Journey, Bloons TD 6+, and Super Fruit Ninja.

Vision Pro App Spotlight: My Favorite Ways To Take A Quick Note, by John Voorhees, MacStories

One of the advantages of working with the Vision Pro is the flexibility of using your surroundings to spread out. Your entire room becomes your workspace, and if you’re in an Environment, your workable space expands even further. That makes it easier to keep a note-taking app open at all times than on any other device. In turn, that makes having an app to quickly jot down your thoughts all the more useful.

There are already quite a few interesting note-taking apps on the App Store, so I wanted to highlight a handful I like, each of which has something unique to offer.

Ai Ai Ai

Apple Readies AI Tool To Rival Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot, by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

The new system will operate similarly to Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot and use artificial intelligence to predict and complete blocks of code, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. That simplifies the programming process for software development, potentially saving time and money.

Apple is also exploring the use of AI to generate code for testing applications, an often tedious process. Currently, Apple is pushing some engineers to try these new AI features internally as part of a “dogfooding” effort — when a company uses its own products — to make sure they work properly before releasing them to outside developers.

AI Will Eliminate Busywork. Are We Sure That’s A Good Thing?, by Lauren Larson, The Verge

I’m not suggesting that I want to spend the other 57,599.997 waking seconds of my day doing the Minesweeper-like number-dumping of Severance. But for an hour in the afternoon, when all my body’s resources have been diverted from brain to stomach to digest the meatball marinara sub I had for lunch? While a light rain falls outside and Spotify serves me ambient lullabies? No AI tool can give me such peace.

Stuff

This Apple Watch App Is Designed To Help You Focus And Get More Done, by Becca Caddy, iMore

It's designed to help you maintain concentration and enhance your work efficiency by organizing your tasks into focused work sessions.

Astropad Slate Transforms Your iPad Into A No-screen Tablet And Trackpad For Mac, by Michael Potuck, 9to5Mac

Astropad Slate delivers drawing and handwriting input, mouse and trackpad functionality, gesture support, and more.

Peloton Backpedals: Company To Keep Apple GymKit Support After Member Backlash, by Laura Rosenberg, Connect The Watts

Now, the company has emailed members saying that they heard them “loud and clear,” and that they would no longer be ending the integration of Apple GymKit for the Bike+.

Notes

How A Musician Falsely Accused Of Fraud Got His Music Back On Spotify And iTunes, by Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica

The remaining question is whether distributors and streaming platforms being on higher alert will lead to more unfair takedowns like Jordan experienced. Artists' only recourse on platforms like Spotify is working with distributors to reinstate music, and even though it took days for Jordan to get his music back online, he felt fortunate to have the resources and clout he thought was necessary to get the desired response from his distributor. Not every artist will be in the same position.

Bottom of the Page

The weekend has commenced. At least for me. Time to pick up where I left off last weekend on my hobby project.

If only I remember what the heck I was doing. I think I need to write better documentations. :-)

~

Thanks for reading.