LTA 138: February 2025   Recently updated !

Panel:

• Bart Busschots (host) – @bartb.ie

The show starts with some quick followup on a few recently covered and long-running stories before diving into the regulatory and legal stories, and some highlights from Apple’s services and original content. The four main stories are Apple’s first full month under President Trump’s second tenure, the UK’s attempt to secretly back-door iCloud, loads of new and updated Apple devices, and a re-vamp of Apple’s child safety features. The show finishes with a rundown of a few other quick Apple-related stories that made the news in February.

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.

• Apple's attempts to delay the remedies phase of the US DOJ antitrust case against Google over search was denied shortly after the previous episode was recorded — appleinsider.com/…

  • Related: The case continued, and the DOJ have now filed their formal proposals, requesting the deals like the one with Apple be ended, and that Google sell off chrome — appleinsider.com/… (Biden-era demand that Google divest from AI investments dropped in this updated Trump-era filing)

• Apple enables AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid feature in the UK — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple continued their drive towards facilitating repairs by adding manuals for the new M4 Macs — appleinsider.com/…

• Having previously made a mockery of itself by attempting to ban AirTags on luggage, Lufthansa has joined the growing number of airlines supporting Apple's new location sharing feature for FindMy items — appleinsider.com/…

• The iOS 18.4 betas revealed the Apple Intelligence features that are on the way soon, and Apple formally announced more official rollouts for April (none of them new that I could see) — Apple PR

  • Notably absent from the betas were the Siri enhancements everyone is eagerly awaiting (App Intents & personal data model)

    • Unusually, Apple chose to respond to the hew-and-cry from the the technorati with a statement to prominent apple bloggers to say the features were proving more difficult than expected and would need more time, and they would be "rolling them out in the coming year" — daringfireball.net/… (Some media are interpreting that as next calendar year, but Gruber and others think next OS cycle)
    • Analysis: Good insights from Federico Viticci — www.macstories.net/…

  • Related: Apple Intelligence for China comes a little closer: Apple will use Alibaba to power iPhone’s AI services in China — www.cultofmac.com/…

    • Apple Aims to Launch AI Features in China by May 2025 — www.macobserver.com/… (Unconfirmed report)
    • Alibaba to manipulate Apple Intelligence output in China for censorship — appleinsider.com/… (Unconfirmed but very credible report)

Regulatory Rundown

• Two nice illustrations that regulatory scrutiny can make real-world differences:

  • The Digital Services Act has it's first really concrete effect on iOS app availability in the EU, with a porn app being successfully notarised and published on the AltStore — www.bleepingcomputer.com/…

    • Rather cheekily, the developers tag it as 'approved' by Apple, they quickly respond to make clear they most certainly do not approve! — www.macrumors.com/…
    • Related: Apple updated the language used to inform developers their apps have been notarised: 'approved for distribution' → 'ready for distribution' — mastodon.social/…

  • Google Play Books now links out to website & avoids Apple's 30% cut — appleinsider.com/…

• There finally seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for Apple in Indonesia, the company has reached a deal with the Indonesian government to get the iPhone 16 range certified in the country, including a 10x greater investment than first offered — www.macobserver.com/…

  • Indonesia starts to lift iPhone 16 ban, but hurdles remain — appleinsider.com/…

• South Korea Fines Apple for Unauthorized Data Transfer of 40M Users — www.macobserver.com/…

  • The most notable detail is the criticism from the authorities over Apple's failure to answer questions
  • Apple won't comment on $3.2 million fine for mishandling data in South Korea — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple forcefully refutes UK's claims about mobile browsing — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple Faces Antitrust Scrutiny in Germany Over App Tracking Transparency — www.macobserver.com/…

  • Editorial by Bart: another dumb special-interest case putting profits funded by privacy invasion over user privacy, similar things are under way in France

• Brazil gives Apple 90 days to enable third-party app marketplaces on iOS — appleinsider.com/…

Legal Latest

• The Congolese government's case file against Apple in France and Belgium has been dismissed in France — appleinsider.com/…
• The UK's Court of Appeal has rejected Apple's request to dismiss a $1 billion lawsuit over cutting the performance of an iPhone 6 and other models with chemically depleted batteries — appleinsider.com/…
• Apple defeats US consumer lawsuit over iCloud storage, for now — www.reuters.com/…
• Apple beats 'Tetris' movie lawsuit — appleinsider.com/…
• Apple wins patent battle against AliveCor, avoids potential Apple Watch import ban — appleinsider.com/… (Apple not infringing on patents with it's current ECG design, or with Afib Detection, but case could be appealed)

Apple Services & Original Content Highlights

• Apple TV+:

  • The Apple TV app is now available on Android — Apple PR

    • It's not just a clunky port, Apple have made a truly native app for the platform — daringfireball.net/…

  • MLS kicks off 30th season with new ways to watch & exclusive perks on Apple TV — appleinsider.com/… ( Apple PR)

    • MLS is introducing custom Apple TV sleeve patches on every first-team player's jersey
    • New Sunday Night Soccer program to highlight one match in greater detail

  • Apple TV+ show is bought by another streamer for the first time — appleinsider.com/… ( Suspicion bought by UK streamer ITVX)

  • MLB 'Friday Night Baseball' returns to Apple TV+ on March 28 — appleinsider.com/…

• Recipes Are Coming to Apple's News+ Service — www.macstories.net/…

• Apple Music 1's newest DJ is King Charles III on 'The King's Music Room' — appleinsider.com/…

Main Stories

1. Apple's first full month in the second Trump Era

   • Apple appears to be appeasing Trump

     • Despite it still being completely illegal, Apple (and Google) have returned TikTok to the app store — daringfireball.net/…

     • Apple & Google both comply with Trump's executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico — www.macobserver.com/…

       • US users see only 'Gulf of America'
       • Mexican users see only 'Gulf of Mexico'
       • Rest of the world forced to see both names 'Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)'
       • Opinion by Bart: this just dumb, and by only showing US users a name no one else on planet earth uses, Apple have made their maps useless for their only true purpose, helping people find things! Also, forcing the dumb American name on all the rest of us is insulting. Tim Cook is clearly putting capitulating to a petty wanna-be dictator over the Apple user experience. Shame on him

     • Apple & Tim Cook return to X

       • Apple is once again advertising on X, more than a year after stopping all ads on the platform — appleinsider.com/…
       • Apple's Tim Cook Teases February 19th Event on X — www.macstories.net/…
       • Tim Cook teases the imminent launch of a new MacBook Air — appleinsider.com/… (also on X)
       • Editorial by Bart: Apple left X for a really good reason — the platform was associating their brand with literal Nazis! That hasn't changed, Apple have just swallowed their principles, presumably out of fear or in the deluded hope these kinds of tokens will mollify Trump in some, which are both terrible justifications. Trump is best understood as a selfish bullying man-child — if you give anything, he smells weakness, and just demands more. Nothing will ever be enough, and he'll just keep bullying Apple regardless.

     • One notable counter-example offering a ray of hope: Apple shareholders reject proposal to scrap company’s diversity programs — apnews.com/… (97% voted against )

       • Trump blasts Apple after Tim Cook doubles down on diversity — www.cultofmac.com/…

   • Trump's long threatened tariffs on China went into effect on March 4th – 20% (addition of another 10% on existing 10% from first Trump term) and no exemption for Apple — abcnews.go.com/… & www.nytimes.com/…

   • A Bank of America study highlights the obvious: Trump's tariffs could drive up iPhone prices by about 10% — appleinsider.com/…

   • Related: India prepares for Trump trade disruption by cutting import taxes for Apple & others — appleinsider.com/…

   • Related: China threatens App Store probe in retaliation for trade tensions — appleinsider.com/…

   • Related: Apple pledges record-breaking $500 billion investment in the US — www.cultofmac.com/…

     • Analysis: this appears to be just spin on the expected continued trajectory Apple was already on, aimed to mollify Trump — appleinsider.com/… & daringfireball.net/…

2. Credible reports have emerged that the UK government has issued Apple with a secret order to break iCloud Advanced Protection globally to facilitate surveillance under it's controversial Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) — appleinsider.com/…

   • Under this law it is illegal for Apple to publicly acknowledge having received an order
   • The law also mandates that companies comply with orders, even while they appeal them to a secret tribunal
   • UK's iPhone spying backdoor demand sparks bipartisan US lawmaker anger — appleinsider.com/…
   • Apple removed the option to enable Advanced Data Protection in the UK saying it was 'unable' to offer the service — arstechnica.com/… (about the most they could legally say to confirm the reporting)
   • Washington Post: 'Biden Justice Department Downplayed U.K. Demand for Apple "Back Door"' — daringfireball.net/…
   • Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggests UK broke agreement in secretly asking Apple to build iCloud backdoor — 9to5mac.com/… (CLOUD Act)
   • Apple goes to court to fight UK demand for iCloud encryption backdoor — appleinsider.com/… (Unconfirmed report since confirmation would be literally illegal!)
   • Opinion: John Gruber's take — daringfireball.net/… (Aligns with Bart's views)

3. Lots of Apple hardware updates

   • iPhone 16e — Apple PR & Product Page

     • Apple announces “iPhone 16e” to replace iPhone SE, starts at $599 for 128GB — arstechnica.com/…

     • Apple C1 Is Here, Its First In-House Cellular Modem — www.macobserver.com/…

       • Apple's C1 modem is the first step towards 'a platform for generations,' executives say — appleinsider.com/…
       • Apple's C1 modem signals the end of its Qualcomm dependence — appleinsider.com/…
       • Apple's C1 modem breaks no records for speed, but is exceptionally power efficient — appleinsider.com/… (About en-par with other chips in terms of data throughput in the bands it supports)

     • Everything Apple stripped out of iPhone 16 to make the iPhone 16e — www.cultofmac.com/…

       • No MagSafe

         • There are already workarounds: No MagSafe, No Problem: iPhone 16e Cases That Fix It — www.macobserver.com/…

       • no wide angle or telephoto, just single lens with 2x modes

       • no camera control button

       • no dynamic island, older notch design instead

       • No UWB or thread radios, and no wifi 7 (just wifi 6)

       • Presumably binned version of A18 with one fewer GPU core (5 rather than 6) — www.macobserver.com/…

         • Related: Core design: How chip binning helps Apple offer A18 variants — appleinsider.com/…

       • more basic display with 800nits max rather than 1,000 for the regular iPhone 16, and 2,000 for the pros, and an older less robust glass

       • No colour options — just black or white (but there are $39 colourful cases)

     • iPhone 16e teardown reveals surprisingly repairable design but can’t answer key question — www.cultofmac.com/… (7 out of 10 repairability score)

       • Neither battery design nor C1 Modem provide a hardware explanation for the lack of MagSafe

     • iPhone 16e vs iPhone SE 3: A quantum leap forward — appleinsider.com/…

     • iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: A new Apple Intelligence-powered entry-level option — appleinsider.com/…

     • iPhone SE, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus are all retired with iPhone 16e launch — appleinsider.com/…

     • Apple has officially killed off the Home Button — appleinsider.com/…

     • Opinion, analysis & reviews:

       • iPhone 16e focuses on real needs for regular people — appleinsider.com/… (This aligns with my take)
       • More than a name change: iPhone 16e isn't the iPhone SE 4 — appleinsider.com/…
       • iPhone 16e review: The most expensive cheap iPhone yet — arstechnica.com/…
       • Some first thoughts about the iPhone 16e — sixcolors.com/…
       • Thoughts and Observations on Today’s iPhone 16e Announcement — daringfireball.net/…
       • The iPhone 16e — daringfireball.net/… (Another take that aligns with my opinions)
       • iPhone 16e review roundup: an okay, if compromised, device without a market — appleinsider.com/… (A good summary of much of the Technorati's take, and I think they're completely wrong!)
       • iPhone 16e review roundup: Bare bones but capable, with long battery life — www.cultofmac.com/… (A summary of the better media takes)

   • iPad & iPad Air Updates — Apple PR

     • Apple Speed Bumps iPads: iPad Air Goes M3, iPad Gets an A16 — tidbits.com/…

     • iPad 11 chip upgrade does not bring Apple Intelligence — www.cultofmac.com/…

     • Apple releases new Smart Folio alongside new iPad — appleinsider.com/…

     • Apple Reveals New Magic Keyboard for iPad Air — www.macstories.net/…

       • Adds 14 key function row
       • Larger trackpad
       • Hinge design from 1Pad Pro keyboard
       • Only one colour, white, and still no back-lit keys

     • iPad Air and iPad Go Green With 100% Recycled Materials and Carbon Neutral Goals — www.macobserver.com/…

     • The iPad Air Officially Marks the End of Apple’s 64GB Era — www.macobserver.com/…

     • Analysis: Apple's new iPad updates are not dramatic, but don't need to be — appleinsider.com/…

   • Updated MacBook Air — Apple PR

     • MacBook Air gets the M4, a new blue color, up to 32GB of RAM, and a $100 price cut — arstechnica.com/…
     • New M4 MacBook Air fixes the line's biggest problem — appleinsider.com/… (Supports 2 external displays)
     • M4 MacBook Air Has 50% Extra Maximum RAM Compared to M3 MacBook Air — www.macobserver.com/…

   • Updated Mac Studio — Apple PR

     • Apple have released the M3 Ultra as an option with the Mac Studio — Apple PR

       • Apple says not every Apple Silicon generation will get an Ultra — appleinsider.com/…
       • Apple Says It’s Double; but Difference Between M4 Max vs M3 Ultra Is Marginal — www.macobserver.com/… (Benchmarks show that the M3 Ultra only makes sense if you will actually make use of more than 40 GPUs simultaneously, so for really pro use-cases)

     • New Mac Studio spans the generations with M4 Max, M3 Ultra chips — sixcolors.com/…

4. Apple announces child protection improvements — www.cultofmac.com/… & appleinsider.com/…

   • Good Summary: Apple Aims to Boost Child Privacy with New Age-Related Controls — tidbits.com/…

     • Improved child account setup
     • More fine-grained and clearly defined age ranges
     • More detailed metadata requirements from developers to give parents better visibility and control
     • privacy-preserving settings and APIs for sharing broad age ranges in configurations and within apps, especially reader-type apps

   • Apple’s Updated Age Ratings Explained: What’s Changing and Why it Matters — www.macobserver.com/…

   • Related: Nice guide on Apple's current child protection features — www.macobserver.com/…

Quick Stories

• Apple released their spring lineup of iPhone & Apple Watch accessories:

  • Four colors addded to iPhone 16 Silicone Case with MagSafe collection — appleinsider.com/…
  • Hermes Apple Watch band lineup expands with bold colors & classic designs — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple releases a new iOS app to help people host parties, Apple Invites — Apple PR

  • Key features:

    • iCloud+ required to host a party, anyone can be a guest, even non-iPhone users via a web interface
    • Does the basic RSVP stuff
    • Guests get directions and a weather forecast
    • All guests can contribute to a shared photo & video album
    • Guests who have Apple Music can contribute to a shared playlist

  • How the new Apple Invites app works, and when you want to use it — appleinsider.com/…

  • How To Use Apple Invites (Complete Guide) — www.macobserver.com/…

• Apple released a rare sneak-peak video of some robots they're experimenting with in their labs, and their big focus is giving their movements personality — sixcolors.com/…

  • Related: Apple are advertising jobs for people with robotics expertise to work on their home products — appleinsider.com/…

• Apple now lets you transfer purchases from one Apple Account to another — appleinsider.com/…

  • Apple Account Purchase Migration Doesn't Transfer TestFlight Enrollments — daringfireball.net/…

• Apple has started a transition away from pre-paid AppleCare+ to a subscription mode – retail stores no longer offer pre-paid, but Apple's website still does — appleinsider.com/…

  • Related: AppleCare+ for iPhone is now more expensive in the US — www.cultofmac.com/…

• Apple Sports app adds Nascar support just in time for Daytona 500 — appleinsider.com/…

• iOS Update Enables “Critical Messages” via SMS — www.macobserver.com/…

• Beats Releases the Powerbeats Pro 2 with H2 Chip and Heart Rate Monitoring — www.macstories.net/…

  • Reviewers rip Powerbeats Pro 2 heart rate monitoring — www.cultofmac.com/… (not accurate and when paired to gym equipment, can't play audio!)

• Finally: Adobe Photoshop comes to iPhone — www.cultofmac.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.