LTA 121: September 2023

Panel:

• Bart Busschots (host) – @bbusschots

For various reasons this is another solo show with just Bart. The show starts with a few followups, some regulatory and legal news, a little HR news, and the highlights from Apple’s services and original content. The two main stories are the new hardware from Apple’s Wonderlust event, and the release of this year’s Apple OS upgrades. Finally, the show finishes with some other quick Apple-related stories that made the news in September.

You’ll find detailed show notes below the fold, and if you enjoy this free show, please consider clicking on the donate button at the top of the left side bar – the show is free for you to listen to, but not for Bart to Produce!

Updates & Followup

Quick updates to long-running stories the show continues to track, and to stories covered in recent shows.

• The NSO Group are still at it: Exploit that delivered Pegasus spyware patched in iOS 16.6.1 update — appleinsider.com/…

  • Apple warns Russian journalists of Pegasus iPhone infections — appleinsider.com/…
  • Related: NSO group are not the only shady cybersecurity firm targeting Apple: Apple patches Predator-exploited vulnerabilities for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS — www.intego.com/…

• CA has passed the law Apple surprised everyone by supporting: Calif. passes strongest right-to-repair bill yet, requiring 7 years of parts — arstechnica.com

• Apple continue to expand in India: Apple TV+ shows will get millions more viewers on India's Tata Play Binge — appleinsider.com/…

Regulatory Rundown

• After some initial Sturm un Drang, Apple avoids a French iPhone 12 ban by issuing a software update that reduces the phone's antenna power to placate regulators — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple reluctantly coming into compliance with China's most recent app store regulations:

  • Apple met with China to push back over app rules — appleinsider.com/… (based on un-confirmed report from WSJ)
  • Apple bows to China, starts enforcing App Store rules — appleinsider.com/… (new apps must have a license from the Chinese government, which requires local offices or partners. There is a grace period in the law for existing apps until March 2024, so Apple still have time to also enforce the new laws on existing apps)

• South Korea threatens to fine both Google & Apple for not allowing 3rd-party payments on their app stores — appleinsider.com/…

• The Australian senate is launching a probe: Apple, Google, Amazon face Australian big tech influence probe — appleinsider.com/…

Legal Latest

• Apple -v- Epic:

  • Epic have filed with the US Supreme Court requesting a review of case — appleinsider.com/…
  • The next day Apple filed its own petition asking for a review of just the anti-steering part of the ruling (the small part that went against them) — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple -v- Rivos: Rivos countersues Apple over employee intimidation with restrictive agreements — appleinsider.com/… (chip start-up by former Apple employees)

Apple HR & Acquisition News

• French Apple Store staff will strike as iPhone 15 goes on sale — appleinsider.com/… (pay rises Apple are offering are below inflation)
• Apple reduces raises given to retail employees after weak iPhone quarter — appleinsider.com/… (they're still getting a raise, just a smaller one that became the norm over COVID)

Apple Services & Original Content Highlights

• Apple's new iCloud+ big data plans start at $30 per month for 6TB — appleinsider.com/… & Apple's new 6TB and 12TB iCloud+ plans are now available — appleinsider.com/… (Apple's Press Release)

• Apple TV+ launches kids' holiday season with 'The Velveteen Rabbit' — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple Press Release: Apple Arcade adds four new games — NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition, Cut the Rope 3, Jeopardy! World Tour+, and Crossword Jam+ — and more than 30 updates in October

• Apple Podcasts:

  • Apple Music radio shows & narrated News+ articles now available in Podcasts app — appleinsider.com/…
  • Over 100 new podcasts from top apps and services launch on Apple Podcasts — www.apple.com/…

• ApplePay:

  • PayPal and Venmo credit/debit cards now work with Apple Wallet, Apple Pay — www.cultofmac.com/… & You can now add your PayPal credit card to Apple Wallet — appleinsider.com/…

  • The latest iOS 17.1 betas show new UK-only Connected Cards feature in Apple Wallet which shows current account balances:

    • Apple Wallet adds exclusive UK features with signs of more to come — appleinsider.com/…
    • Apple Wallet's Connected Accounts may come to the US — appleinsider.com/…

Main Stories

1. Wonderlust Event

   • Overviews:

     • Apple's September 2023 Wonderlust Event: Replay Today's Keynote and Product Videos — www.macstories.net/…
     • Apple's September 2023 Event: By the Numbers — www.macstories.net/…
     • iPhone 15 event in 17 minutes — www.youtube.com/…

   • Apple Watches

     • 2023 Apple Watch Models Add Double Tap Gesture — tidbits.com/…

       • How Double Tap compares to Quick Actions and AssistiveTouch — appleinsider.com/…
       • watchOS 10.1 beta brings double-tap gesture to Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2 — www.cultofmac.com/…

     • Apple Watch Series 9 — Apple's Press Release

       • New Apple Watch Series 9 improves Siri processing, iPhone-finding, and more — arstechnica.com
       • Apple Watch Series 9: Best New Features — www.macobserver.com/…
       • Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8 – compared — appleinsider.com/…

     • Apple Watch Ultra 2 — Apple's Press Release

       • Apple Watch Ultra 2 is here with a brighter display, faster S9 SiP — www.cultofmac.com/…
       • Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Apple Watch Ultra – Specs, price, and features, compared — appleinsider.com/…

     • Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2 — Specs, price, and features, compared — appleinsider.com/…

     • Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 teardown reveals not much has changed internally — appleinsider.com/…

     • Reviews:

       • Apple Insider: Apple Watch Series 9: Solid upgrade even with features still coming & Apple Watch Ultra 2: Still the best smartwatch around, despite lack of new features
       • Cult of Mac: Apple Watch Series 9 is a surprising package of new features

   • iPhones 15 & 15 Pro

     • Common Features

       • As expected, the iPhones 15 are USB-C (non-pro models USB2, pro models USB 3)

         • iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Pro can connect to an external 4K display without dongles — appleinsider.com/…

         • Apple now sells as USB-C to Lightning dongle for $29 — appleinsider.com/…

         • iPhone 15 USB-C vs Lightning — here's what you need to know — appleinsider.com/…

         • Related: Second Gen AirPods Pro get new USB-C case that can be charged by iPhone 15 directly — appleinsider.com/…

           • Why the new AirPods Pro 2 are needed for Apple Vision Pro lossless audio — appleinsider.com/…

         • Related: Apple Now Sells EarPods With USB-C, Lightning, or Headphone Plug — www.macrumors.com/…

       • Roadside Assistance via Satellite provides more help for iPhone users — appleinsider.com/… (US-only for now)

         • Apple explains how to use Roadside Assistance via satellite — www.cultofmac.com/…

       • iPhone 15 Pro Max price unchanged from 14 Pro Max — assuming you want 256GB — appleinsider.com/…

         • If you take inflation into account these are the cheapest iPhones yet — daringfireball.net/…

     • iPhones 15 — Apple's Press Release

       • iPhone 15 adds Dynamic Island and 48MP camera, dumps Lightning port — www.cultofmac.com/…
       • iPhone 15 vs iPhone 14 — Specs, price, and features, compared — appleinsider.com/…

     • iPhones 15 Pro — Apple's Press Release

       • iPhone 15 Pro Max lands with 5x optical zoom, faster USB-C — appleinsider.com/…

       • Titanium iPhone 15 Pro has new Action button, faster processor — appleinsider.com/…

       • Camera gets a lot of focus, and can record 3D movies for Vision Pro:

         • Final Cut Pro, iMovie, Compressor, and Motion get updates for iPhone 15 Pro — appleinsider.com/…
         • The iPhones 15 Pro can record directly to external storage — appleinsider.com/…
         • Olivia Rodrigo's latest music video 'get him back!' was shot on iPhone 15 Pro — appleinsider.com/…

       • Everything the iPhone 15 Pro Action button can do — appleinsider.com/… & iPhone 15 Pro Action Button: What It Is and How To Use It — www.macobserver.com/…

       • iPhone 15 Pro hardware-based ray tracing promises more realistic gaming — appleinsider.com/…

       • First iPhone 15 Pro teardown showcases repairable innards — www.cultofmac.com/… (the more repairable iPhone 14 design has made it to the Pro models)

       • Replacing iPhone 15 Pro’s broken glass back won’t burn a hole in your wallet — www.cultofmac.com/…

       • Analysis: a great post explaining why the titanium feels even lighter than it is: iPhone 15 Pro facts and estimates — leancrew.com/…

       • iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro — Specs, price, and features, compared — appleinsider.com/…

       • iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max — Specs, price, and features, compared — appleinsider.com/…

     • iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Should you go big? — www.cultofmac.com/…

     • Reviews:

       • Apple Insider: iPhone 15: A bigger step up than the iPhone 14 was & iPhone 15 Pro: Best balance of performance to price yet in an iPhone
       • Ars Technica: iPhone 15 & 15 Pro: The final form — arstechnica.com/…
       • John Gruber: The iPhones 15 Pro (and iPhones 15)
       • Jason Snell: iPhone 15 Pro & Pro Max

     • Related: The iPhone 13 mini is dead, leaving small-phone lovers in a lurch — arstechnica.com

   • Apple underline their commitment to the environment — Press Releases: Apple unveils its first carbon neutral products & Apple advances supplier clean energy commitments

     • Tim Cook stares down ‘Mother Nature’ as Apple touts first carbon-neutral products — www.cultofmac.com/…

     • FineWoven is here, as Apple phases out leather in watch bands & cases — appleinsider.com/…

       • Apple FineWoven case review: Not the leather replacement we were hoping for — appleinsider.com/…

     • All Hermes leather bands are removed from Apple's store, replaced by new leather-free options from the company, but they also release new leather bands outside of Apple's store — appleinsider.com/… & appleinsider.com/…

       • Hermes Apple Watch bands review: No leather in these new stylish strap options — appleinsider.com/…

     • Apple killing off plastic packaging by the end of 2024 — appleinsider.com/…

     • NewClimate Institute Reacts to Apple’s Carbon Neutral Apple Watch Claims — tidbits.com/… & Apple's carbon-neutral product claims called a 'climate-wash' — appleinsider.com/…

   • Apple updates AirPods Pro 2 and EarPods with USB-C — www.cultofmac.com/…

2. Apple's Lates OS Releases

   • Common Features

     • Password, Passkey & AirTag sharing — www.intego.com/…
     • Safari Privacy improvements — appleinsider.com/…
     • Communications Safety — www.cultofmac.com/…

   • tvOS — Apple PR: tvOS 17 available now, bringing FaceTime to Apple TV 4K

     • Apple ships tvOS 17 with FaceTime and Apple Fitness Plus changes — appleinsider.com/…

   • WatchOS 10 — Apple's Press Release

     • Apple rolls out watchOS 10 for Apple Watch with new faces, health features — appleinsider.com/…
     • What do the Apple Watch buttons do? Click, double-click and hold. — www.cultofmac.com/…

   • iOS 17 — Apple's Press Release

     • These iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 features won’t arrive till later this year — www.cultofmac.com/…
     • iOS 17 now available with StandBy, NameDrop, and interactive widgets — appleinsider.com/…
     • iOS 17 arrives with Contact Poster, big AirDrop improvements and more — www.cultofmac.com/…
     • How to use StandBy with iPhone in iOS 17 to get Apple's first smart display — appleinsider.com/…
     • How to create a great Contact Poster in iOS 17 — www.cultofmac.com/…
     • How to use the new spirit level in the iOS 17 Camera app — appleinsider.com/…
     • Apple revamps iOS 17 App Store with more personalized recommendations — appleinsider.com/…
     • Opinion: The 50 best iOS 17 features you should try after you update — www.cultofmac.com/…

   • iPadOS 17 — Apple's Press Release

     • iPadOS 17 arrives with added Lock Screens, Health app, and more — appleinsider.com/…

   • AirPods Firmware Updates Add Features, Improve Automatic Switching — tidbits.com/…

   • macOS Sonoma — Apple's Press Release

     • macOS Sonoma with interactive widgets, Kanban Reminders and more is now available — appleinsider.com/…

     • How to Use Desktop Widgets on macOS Sonoma — www.intego.com/…

     • How To Set Up & Use Kanban Feature in Reminders on macOS Sonoma — www.macobserver.com/…

     • Sonoma also brings Game Mode to M-series Macs — perfect timing!

       • Related: Mac gamers can now play 'Baldur's Gate 3' a day later than expected — appleinsider.com/…
       • Related: Pre-order 'Resident Evil 4' for iPhone, iPad, or Mac today, pay $60 at launch for full unlock — appleinsider.com/…

     • With rare exceptions, most Mac apps seem happy with Sonoma — appleinsider.com/…

     • Find Out if Your Mac Is Too Old for macOS Ventura or Sonoma — www.macobserver.com/… (Sonoma supports same Macs as Ventura)

     • Opinion: The 36 best macOS Sonoma features you should try after you update — www.cultofmac.com/…

   • Reviews:

     • Ars Technica: iOS 17: StandBy for more features & macOS 14 Sonoma
     • Jason Snell: Apple’s 2023 multi-platform features, iPadOS 17: A fitting stage, at last, iOS 17: We’ve got a live one & macOS Sonoma: Small moves
     • Mac Stories: tvOS & iOS 17 & iPad OS 17

Quick Stories

• Apple updates iWork with iOS 17, macOS Sonoma features — appleinsider.com/…
• Apple renews it's 5G deal with Qualcomm because its own chips are not ready yet: Apple re-signs with Qualcomm for three more years — sixcolors.com/… & iPhones will use Qualcomm’s 5G modem through 2026 — www.cultofmac.com/…
• Intel announces Thunderbolt 5: fast new speeds, same great port — sixcolors.com/…
• Apple to announce 2023 fourth quarter earnings on November 2 — appleinsider.com/…

Legend

Note: When the textual description of a link is part of the link it is the title of the page being linked to, when the text describing a link is not part of the link it is a description written by Bart.