More Android Users are Switching to iPhone

A report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners found that more Android users are switching to the iPhone.

The report found that 16 percent of iPhone buyers upgraded from an Android phone in the 30-day period after the launch of the iPhone XR. After the iPhone 8 and 8s were released in September 2017, 12 percent of iPhone buyers upgraded from an Android phone, and when the iPhone X was released in November 2017, that number was 11 percent.

Despite worries that the iPhone XR is dragging, it seems that this model is a popular model for Android users to switch to.

Now India Wants to Break Encryption Too

India wants to follow in Australia’s footsteps and break encryption with the use of automated tools.

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) published the proposed rules on its website following a report on Monday by the Indian Express revealing the government’s proposal to modify the country’s primary IT law to work them in. The report comes days after India’s government seemingly authorized 10 federal agencies to snoop into every computer in the country last week.

As more countries follow suit, it’s not enough to say that companies should just pull out and not do business in that country anymore. We need to enable privacy regulations and other pro-consumer policies.

A Privacy Concept That Reimagines Apps and the Cloud

A website called The Cloud Fall shows a privacy concept that reimagines the relationship between apps, personal data, and the cloud.

The cloud cripples your data. Instagram has your photos, iMessage your messages and Google your documents. By splitting up our data, we prevent any AI from truly knowing us as individuals. And by giving away all control, we relegate ourselves to mindless drivers of engagement.

It’s a fascinating approach, and I hope ideas like this gain traction amongst tech companies. We need to let companies know that the age of using and abusing our personal data at will is over.

You Need a Password Manager. Here's Why

A password manager is an easy, secure way to store passwords and usernames for online accounts. You can also create new passwords with them.

Nobody likes passwords but they’re a fact of life. And while some have tried to kill them off by replacing them with fingerprints and face-scanning technology, neither are perfect and many still resort back to the trusty (but frustrating) password.

If you got a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac for Christmas and you’re looking for apps to download, make a password manager your first purchase. Popular ones include 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, and Bitwarden.

Happy Holidays from Everyone at The Mac Observer

Regardless of the holiday you’re celebrating, The Mac Observer hopes this weekend is a wonderful time for you, and that you get to take a day or two off to relax. We’re taking Tuesday off, but we’ll be back on Wednesday, December 26th, with our iPhone, iPad, and Mac coverage, along with a fresh TMO Daily Observations episode, too.

Enjoy the holiday season!
Happy holidays from The Mac Observer

Apple and Disney Set to Challenge Netflix in 2019

Netflix dominated the streaming space throughout 2018. However, in 2019, its rivals will be snapping right at its heels. In his latest Guardian column, Guy Lodge looked at how Apple and Disney are going to challenge the market leader in the next 12 months. Both companies plan to launch streaming services in the new year.

The more blockbuster-inclined, meanwhile, will be anticipating the long-hyped arrival of the Disney+ platform. Exclusively incorporating a vast range of properties from the Mouse House and 20th Century Fox, it’s the future player that is giving Netflix execs the most sleepless nights; though Apple’s planned global launch of its own streaming service in 2019 ought to make things interesting, too – with new projects from Damien Chazelle, Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey on its planned slate.