Many people are excited about Isaac Asimov’s Foundation, premiering on Apple TV+ on September 24. We got a sneak peak on Friday, when a ‘first look’ video was released. Executive Producer David Goyer, along with some cast members, provide an insight into what viewers can expect.
FTC Reveals its Study on Acquisitions From Big Tech
The Federal Trade Commission will change the way it scrutinizes acquisitions from Big Tech. On Friday it released the findings of its decade-long study on deals that weren’t reported.
The FTC reviewed 616 transactions valued at $1 million or more between 2010 and 2019 that were not reported to antitrust authorities by Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft. 94 of the transactions actually exceeded the dollar size threshold that would require companies to report a deal. The deals may have qualified for other regulatory exemptions. 79% of transactions used deferred or contingent compensation to founders and key employees, and nearly 77% involved non-compete clauses. 36% of the transactions involved assuming some amount of debt or liabilities.
Apple Moves More Devices from Lightning to USB-C
As Cupertino releases new and refreshed Apple products, the company also moves closer to switching from Lightning to USB-C altogether.
Security Friday: Phishin and Strippin – TMO Daily Observations 2021-09-17
Andrew Orr and Kelly Guimont discuss Security Friday news and updates, including new phishing scams and sketchy wifi networks.
5 Decentralized Services for VPN, Web Browsing, Messaging, and More
One of the promises of blockchain is that it will enable Web3. While it may not be here yet, there are decentralized services you can use today.
Recap of 'The Morning Show' Season One
The Morning Show season two premiered on Friday. For those who may have forgotten what happened in the previous episodes, Apple TV+ has published a nice recap. You can also read episode-by-episode recaps on The Mac Observer.
Apple Once Threatened to Remove Facebook From App Store Over Human Trafficking
On Friday a report claims that Apple once threatened to remove Facebook from the App Store in 2019. The cause was human trafficking. (Original, paywalled report here).
The BBC published a sweeping undercover investigation of the practice, prompting Apple to threaten to remove Facebook from its store, the paper said.
An internal memo found that Facebook was aware of the practice even before then: A Facebook researcher wrote in a report dated 2019, “was this issue known to Facebook before BBC inquiry and Apple escalation?,” per the Journal.
Do the right thing, Apple: Remove Facebook.
Apple Card Users Struggling to Purchase iPhone 13
Pre-orders on the iPhone 13 opened Friday, but those trying to buy one with an Apple Card encountered problems.
PopSockets Announces its First iPhone Case, 'PopCase'
On Friday PopSockets announced a new addition to its product line. It’s creating an iPhone case for the first time starting at US$50.
Russia Compels Apple to Remove Navalny App From App Store
The Russian government has compelled Apple and Google to remove an app associated with jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.