Apple makes it so easy to watch. Click the headline link to watch on device, or the Apple TV app on your Apple TV.

Here’s my take on what we might see today.

Per usual the Apple Store is down, with the traditional “Be right back. We’re making updates to the Apple Store. Check back soon.” message.

What other company can demand such worldwide attention for a product announcement?

OSXDaily:

If you’re unable to resolve any issue that you’re facing with an Apple device or service, you can always get in touch with an Apple Support agent for further assistance. Moreover, you can do this right from your iPhone or iPad.

Nice walkthrough to pass along to folks new to Apple.

Can’t speak to the safety of this site, but it is definitely a rabbit hole of fascinating content.

• Follow the headline link
• Tap the hamburger menu in the upper right corner
• Pick a country, then scroll through a huge set of channels/shows
• Once you find one you like, tap the play button.

It’s a bit hit or miss, listen for audio to know you’ve picked a channel that is currently on air. One locked in, close the options window and start watching.

Glenn Fleishman, TidBITS:

Thirty million US households just received another option for affordable, high-speed home broadband. T-Mobile Home Internet covers that many households, 10 million of which are in rural areas. The company promises an average of 100 Mbps in most areas via its 5G network. Service should average no less than 50 Mbps for any household, including those that are currently only within reach of T-Mobile’s 4G LTE towers.

And:

T-Mobile Home Internet costs $60 per month for unlimited use, with no long-term commitment. There’s also no separate fee for the necessary hardware, which is designed for self-installation.

More and more options popping up for cutting the cable. This is a great read, lots of detail.

The advantage of sticking with cable is bundle pricing. But with so much content available, enough content to fill your days is becoming cheaper and cheaper. If you’ve got Netflix and Apple TV+, you’ve already got a pretty good amount to watch. Add in Disney+ and some over the air local channels and it’s an embarrassment of riches.

There’s a lot to love about software I’ve been using for more than 20 years and now BBEdit, the power tool for text, is ready for Big Sur and M1-powered Macs!

Feels like I am stuck on an old-school Macintosh theme with this morning’s posts, but it’s purely coincidental.

This one uses an emulator to run classic MacOS on an iPad Pro. It looks amazing.

More gorgeous work, this time by Stephen Hackett, sharing the various tones made by old school Macs when they were unable to boot. Don’t miss the Power Mac 6100 car crash.

This is gorgeous work. Follow the headline link, click on each of the pictures below the main image to step through the gallery. That floppy disk is simply amazing.

From this Wall Street Journal article published on Friday:

Apple Music told artists it pays a penny per stream, according to a letter viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The disclosure, made in a letter to artists delivered Friday via the service’s artist dashboard and sent to labels and publishers, reflects music-streaming services’ increasing efforts to show they are artist-friendly. Apple Inc.’s move can be seen as a riposte to Spotify Technology SA, which last month shared some details of how it pays the music industry for streams on its platform.

Apple’s penny-per-stream payment structure—which music-industry experts say can dip lower—is roughly double what Spotify, the world’s largest music-streaming service, pays music-rights holders per stream.

You can read the full letter in this 9to5Mac post.

The headline link is to a response to the “Apple Music pays twice what Spotify does” narrative. From that Variety article:

The per-stream rate is addressed in a brief paragraph in the letter, which reads in full: “Our average per play rate is $0.01. While royalties from streaming services are calculated on a stream share basis, a play still has a value. This value varies by subscription plan and country but averaged $0.01 for Apple Music individual paid plans in 2020. This includes label and publisher royalties.” (It does not provide details on how that average was reached.)

And:

The first sentence of the WSJ article reads: “Apple Music told artists it pays a penny per stream” — which does not specify who it pays a penny per stream — and while the main headline on the article reads, “Apple Music Reveals How Much It Pays When You Stream a Song,” a secondary headline reads, “Apple Music pays artists twice as much as Spotify per stream.”

OK. So far, looks like Apple pays artists a penny per stream. But read on:

Streaming services rarely pay artists directly: They pay rights-holders, usually labels and publishers, which take their cut and then pay artists their share.

And:

In reality, there are far too many factors involved in streaming royalties to be boiled down to a single, simple formula: In addition to the subscription plan, the country of origin, the number of users on the site and multiple other factors, some labels may have different deals with different streaming services. In one of its veiled digs at Spotify, Apple Music states in its letter that it pays “the same 52% headline rate to all labels”; sources tell Variety that Spotify has different deals with different labels, although specifics were not readily available. (In the U.S., publishing rates are set by the Copyright Royalty Board and ostensibly are the same for all music-streaming services.)

Read the Variety article, draw your own conclusions. Feels like, at the very least, the Wall Street Journal “Apple Music pays artists twice as much as Spotify per stream” take is oversimplifying a complex payment model.

I love this iOS 14.5 privacy walkthrough from Joanna Stern, all the way through. Be sure to jump to about 1:11 in and check out Terrifying Tim Cook. A solid nuts and bolts explainer.

Washington Post:

The iPhone used by a terrorist in the San Bernardino shooting was unlocked by a small Australian hacking firm in 2016, ending a momentous standoff between the U.S. government and the tech titan Apple.

At the time, the general consensus was that the FBI was using an Israeli security firm, well known for this sort of smartphone break-in.

Azimuth Security, a publicity-shy company that says it sells its cyber wares only to democratic governments, secretly crafted the solution the FBI used to gain access to the device, according to several people familiar with the matter.

And:

The identity of the hacking firm has remained a closely guarded secret for five years. Even Apple didn’t know which vendor the FBI used, according to company spokesman Todd Wilder. But without realizing it, Apple’s attorneys came close last year to learning of Azimuth’s role — through a different court case, one that has nothing to do with unlocking a terrorist’s device.

And:

Apple has a tense relationship with security research firms. Wilder said the company believes researchers should disclose all vulnerabilities to Apple so that the company can more quickly fix them. Doing so would help preserve its reputation as having secure devices.

And:

But many security researchers say it’s legitimate to sell these flaws to democratic governments. And the ability of government agencies to unlock iPhones has also spared Apple from direct conflict with these governments. For instance, by unlocking the terrorist’s iPhone, some say, Azimuth came to Apple’s rescue by ending a case that could have led to a court-ordered back door to the iPhone.

I do think it’s true that this solution took the heat off Apple, turned down the dial on Congress’ efforts to force Apple to create a backdoor to the iPhone. But as has been proven time and time again, there’s just no way a back door created for law enforcement would not end up in the hands of black hat hackers.

I do agree with Apple’s take, that researchers should disclose all vulnerabilities to Apple so they can release patches.

The Washington Post story is a fascinating read. Here’s a link to the Apple News version of the article.

Apple:

“Blush” follows the journey of a stranded horticulturist-astronaut’s chances for survival after he crash lands on a desolate dwarf planet. When an ethereal visitor arrives, the once-lone traveler discovers the joy in building a new life and realizes the universe has delivered astonishing salvation.

And:

The inaugural Apple/Skydance short film is written and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Joe Mateo (“Prep & Landing,” “Big Hero 6”), and shares the storyteller’s deeply personal journey of healing, hope and the undeniably human moments of being rescued by love. Mateo developed “Blush” alongside the Skydance Animation team and the film is produced by Heather Schmidt Feng Yanu (“Toy Story,” the “Cars” trilogy) and executive produced by Oscar® winner John Lasseter (“Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars”). “Blush” joins highly anticipated Apple/Skydance features “Luck” and “Spellbound,” and the animated series “The Search for WondLa,” with several more feature films and television series to be announced over the term of the pact.

That is some heavy hitting behind the scenes. Marked as “coming soon”, as of this writing, there was no landing page for Blush in the Apple TV+ search results.

I love the quality of the Pixar shorts that show before every theater showing of a Pixar film (my absolute favorite is here). Hoping Apple TV+ delivers that level of joy in the fruits of this partnership.

OSXDaily:

Ever ended up on a webpage in a different language and wished you could translate it instantly? With the latest versions of Safari for Mac, you can use a native translation feature to convert a webpage from a foreign language to your native tongue.

Happens to me all the time. I tweeted about it here, if you want a short version with instructions to pass along.

If you are in iOS Safari, you’ll find the translate feature under the “aA” button on the left side of the address bar. This is worth knowing about. Give it a try. A good test page is at lemonde.fr.

William Gallagher, AppleInsider:

As part of Apple’s series of health partnerships, the company is working with the University of Washington and the Seattle Flu Study. If accepted onto the coronavirus study program, participants will be provided with an Apple Watch.

Live in the Seattle area? Here’s where you can sign up for the study.

A few days ago, from Mark Gurman’s rumor Apple working on combined Apple TV, HomePod, camera:

The company is working on a product that would combine an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker and include a camera for video conferencing through a connected TV and other smart-home functions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.

I struggled to wrap my head around this concept. Was this for the TV room? If so, does it replace your existing speakers? If it’s an all-in-one, how do you place a combo camera/HomePod, since both have different placement needs.

Now this from Michael Firth (from a few months ago, well before this rumor surfaced), writing about the need for a camera for your Apple TV:

• The camera doesn’t have to be built-in to the Apple TV itself. It could be a miniaturised version of something like the XBOX Kinect, connected via USB-C and designed to sit neatly aloft your TV.

• When you walk into a room and sit down in front of the TV, the LIDAR scanner could detect your presence and automatically switch the TV on. It can identify you, it can sign into apps based on your identity. The home screen can show custom content for whoever just sat down – if it’s just you on your own, it shows that show you’ve been binge watching. Someone else? It’s their favourite show.

Bing. This clicked for me. This feels like a concept that would be a welcome addition to my TV room. A camera with Apple’s promise of privacy, doing all kinds of clever Apple TV tricks, a quality webcam for FaceTime/Zoom calls, with HomeKit compatibility perhaps.

Still not seeing the HomePod angle, but definitely an interesting take.

Zac Hall, 9to5Mac:

The tech enthusiast in me wants to find a use for every Apple Watch feature, but this can create an overwhelming experience if you’re not intentional about your approach. It’s possible to want to reduce your reliance on the iPhone through the Apple Watch, only to find yourself even more annoyed by interruptions on your wrist.

Identifying utility from the Apple Watch while toning it down when the watch becomes too much has been something I’ve been working through recently. I’ll share where I’ve landed as well as a few feature requests for managing the experience for the better.

Gaining control over your Apple Watch is a decluttering process, removing unneeded apps, and pruning the tree of notifications. Nicely presented, worth reading.

Spotify:

Currently available to eligible users in the U.S., Car Thing enables you to play your favorite audio faster, so you’re already listening to that hit song or the latest podcast episode before you’ve even pulled out of the driveway. Switching between your favorite audio is effortless, allowing you to shift gears to something else as soon as the mood strikes.

And:

Our focus remains on becoming the world’s number one audio platform—not on creating hardware—but we developed Car Thing because we saw a need from our users, many of whom were missing out on a seamless and personalized in-car listening experience.

And:

The limited release of Car Thing is not meant to compete with in-car infotainment systems. Instead, it’s another step in our larger ubiquity strategy.

Here’s a link to Spotify’s ubiquity strategy, in case you just had to know.

As to “Car Thing”, follow the headline link, check out that first image. An odd, extremely specialized product. It mounts on a car vent (very Radio Shack) and purely does audio. Not feeling it.

First things first, watch the video here.

Next, follow the headline link for an incredibly colorful entry into Apple’s college student portal/store. Worth a look, even if you are not connected to a new college hopeful.

[Via 9to5Mac]

Apple:

Premiering globally July 30, 2021 on Apple TV+, this new docuseries will explore groundbreaking technology in music with Paul McCartney, Questlove, King Princess, Dave Grohl, Ad-Rock and Mike D from the Beastie Boys, Charli XCX and more

And:

Ronson explores music’s intersection with artistry and technology in candid conversations with music legends and icons including Paul McCartney, Questlove, King Princess, Dave Grohl, Ad-Rock and Mike D from the Beastie Boys, Charli XCX and more, where he discovers the ways in which these unique tools have influenced their work.

And:

At the end of each episode, Ronson will create and unveil a unique piece of original music using groundbreaking technology and techniques including reverb, synth, auto-tune, drum machines, sampling and distortion.

I’m a bit of a music documentary junkie, will definitely check this out. Sounds a bit like that drum machine documentary, 808. Or the fantastic Dave Grohl documentary Sound City.

Sami Fathi, MacRumors:

Siri has apparently prematurely revealed that Apple plans to hold an event on Tuesday, April 20, where the company is expected to reveal brand new iPad Pro models and possibly its long-awaited AirTags trackers.

Interestingly, I could not replicate this on any of my devices, until I asked my HomePod.

The #AppleEvent special hashtag does not yet seem to be enabled, so the announcement is still not official. Makes me wonder if Apple will turn this particular Siri response off on the server side, or if it will slowly make its way to my other devices.

My bet is on the latter, given that the date is a week away. Invites forthcoming later today?

Vanity Fair:

In the Apple TV+ series debuting June 4th, King starts at the end of a romance, exploring where devotion took Lisey and Scott Landon—what it cost them and what it gave them. King being King, he weaves a stalker thriller and an otherworldly supernatural mystery into his heartfelt love story.

Stephen King has quietly become a top notch TV series creator, getting better with each new kick at the can. This one is definitely on my short list to watch. Lots of details in the Vanity Fair piece.

The three questions raised by The Verge’s Alex Castro:

• Is the exclusive App Store a necessary part of iOS?

The heart of the case is the so-called App Store tax — a 30 percent surcharge Apple collects on purchases made through the App Store. Fortnite was kicked off the App Store for dodging that tax by installing its own payment system, which is forbidden under App Store rules. Now, Epic is making the case in court that the rules should never have been put in place.

• How is the iPhone different from a PlayStation?

One of the biggest challenges for Epic is that the App Store model is fairly widespread. Consoles like Xbox and PlayStation operate on basically the same playbook, delivering games digitally through an open but curated digital store that’s locked to the hardware and controlled by the manufacturer. That alone doesn’t make it legal, but it adds credence to Apple’s claim that the App Store lockdown isn’t trapping consumers. If you don’t want to play Fortnite on an iPhone, you can play it on a console or a PC. Some devices come locked into a specific distribution channel and some don’t, giving users the chance to vote with their feet.

• How much control can Apple exert over its hardware?

Underneath everything else, Apple is facing a profound question of how much control it can exert over its own devices. For critics, this is Apple’s original sin, using industrial and graphic design to lure customers into a walled garden, then locking the gate. For fans, it’s Apple’s genius, integrating hardware and software to deliver a more purposeful and powerful user experience. But it all rests on Apple’s ability to maintain a closed stack, using hardware integration to control what happens in software.

The quotes are just the start of Alex’s take on each question, just a taste. I found this a solid read, helped me get my head around an incredibly complex set of topics. Worth reading, and worth reading the comments/responses that follow.

José Adorno, 9to5Mac:

A new study reveals that Apple TV+ has the highest-quality content when compared to Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu. The analysis from Self Financial uses IMDb scores with US customer data.

Here’s a link to the study itself.

Key bullet point from the study:

AppleTV+ has the highest average IMDb score for its titles (7.24), but has fewer than 70 titles to choose from.

I know there are plenty of people who discount IMDb, prefer other scorekeepers (MetaCritic, Rotten Tomatoes, whatever). But picking one lets you compare apples to apples. And an average IMDb score across the service of 7.24 is remarkable.

Mark Gurman, Bloomberg:

The company is working on a product that would combine an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker and include a camera for video conferencing through a connected TV and other smart-home functions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.

Struggling to wrap my head around this. Why pull all these things together? Especially the speaker part. If this is an actual in-the-works product, where would it sit? Is this intended for the TV room? If so, would it replace the TV’s own speakers? Any additional speakers you might have added to the TV already?

And if there’s a camera in the mix, wouldn’t it be difficult to position if it is tied to the speaker? Presumably, a speaker would require one specific placement (and you’d want at least two speakers, right?) and a camera a different placement.

Or is this a kitchen counter thing, like a portable TV so you could watch cooking videos in the kitchen? And do FaceTime calls at the same time?

Back to Mark Gurman:

Apple has explored connecting the iPad to the speaker with a robotic arm that can move to follow a user around a room, similar to Amazon’s latest Echo Show gadget.

Hmm. I guess I’ll understand it when I see it?

Yup. I said Samsung and clever in the same sentence. Cause it’s true (Don’t tell Jim). Watch the video, click this link on your iPhone if you want to take it for a spin on your own device.