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The Day the 100 Millionth iPod Was Sold

Charlotte Henry ·

Given the success of the iPhone, it is perhaps all too easy to forget quite how groundbreaking the iPod was. In its latest ‘Today in Apple History’ piece, Cult of Mac looks back to the day in 2007 when the 100 millionth iPod was sold, making it the most popular Apple product in history at the time.

By April 2007, Apple had released more than 10 iPod models: five original iPods, two iPod minis, two iPod nano, and two iPod shuffles. The devices spawned an enormous ecosystem of more than 4,000 accessories, from cases to standalone speakers. Plus, upward of 70 percent of cars produced in the United States in 2007 offered iPod connectivity. Along with the success of the iTunes Music Store — the third-biggest music store in the United States at the time — the iPod represented Apple’s ascendancy to the pinnacle of the tech world… “At this historic milestone, we want to thank music lovers everywhere for making iPod such an incredible success,” said Steve Jobs in a statement issued by Apple. “iPod has helped millions of people around the world rekindle their passion for music, and we’re thrilled to be a part of that.”

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Ad Industry Waiting to See What App Tracking Transparency Fallout is

Charlotte Henry ·

The advertising industry is waiting with bated breath for the arrival of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency. The feature will arrive in iOS 14.5 and make sure users are asked they want to be tracked across other apps and websites. AdWeek’s Andrew Blustein looked at what the fallout might be (Apple News link).

The median opt-in rate so far is 32%, according to an analysis of 300 apps across 2,000 devices from AppsFlyer, a mobile marketing and attribution company. The analysis found that apps with higher consumer affinity saw higher opt-in rates, hovering around 40%. It remains to be seen whether those opt-in rates will stay consistent when ATT roles out widely. Dating app Bumble said in its S-1 filing that it expects opt-in rates to be between 0-20%. Demonstrating the breadth of the identifier, Trade Desk said that 10% of the 12 million ad opportunities per second on its platform are tied to an IDFA. If opt-out rates are high and IDFAs do become scarce, app developers and publishers should expect to see a 50% decline of in-app CPMs, said Joe Root, co-founder of Permutive, a publisher-focused data management platform. This mirrors the impact media owners saw when Apple introduced ITP, he said.

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Samsung’s ‘iTest’ Puts Android on Your iPhone

Andrew Orr ·

Samsung has created a web app called iTest that puts a simulation of Android on your iPhone to convince you to switch.

When you’re in the Samsung iTest app on your iPhone, you’ll even receive a variety of simulated text notifications and phone calls highlighting different things to try out and different ways of communicating with friends. And of course, Samsung is also using this as an opportunity to promote its other Galaxy products, such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Watch3, and Galaxy Buds Live.

I think it’s really cool and creative.

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Apple And Epic Reveal Their Legal Arguments in Upcoming App Store Trial

Charlotte Henry ·

New filings reveal the legal arguments that Apple and Epic plan to make in their App Store trial. Bloomberg News outlined the details of the respective cases, which the companies presented to a judge on Thursday. None of it is hugely unexpected, but it is worth being aware of as we follow the trial, which will begin on May 5

In a summary of its legal arguments, Apple contends the 30% commission it charges most developers isn’t anticompetitive, but that it’s a typical fee across other mobile and online platforms. Moreover, Apple argues that taking a share of the revenue is justified by the billions of dollars it has invested in developing the proprietary infrastructure that underpins its App Store in the company’s iOS operating system, including software development kits and application programming interfaces. “Epic has benefited handsomely from its contractual relationship with Apple,” Apple’s court submission said. “Epic has used Apple’s proprietary SDKs, and thousands of proprietary APIs to develop games for iOS users.”

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Eddy Cue Advising Tom Brady NFT Company

Charlotte Henry ·
Age-defying, seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady is setting up an NFT company called Autograph. CNN reported that Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President, Internet Software and Services, is acting as an advisor to the firm.
Brady and entrepreneur Richard Rosenblatt will serve as co-chairs of Autograph. The company has also assembled a high-profile advisory team including Apple SVP Eddy Cue, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer, Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino, DraftKings cofounders Jason Robins and Paul Liberman, and Dawn Ostroff, chief content and advertising business Officer at Spotify, among others. Autograph will also have interactive offerings like live auctions, physical product drops and in-person experiences.
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Adobe Releases Update to ‘Source Han Sans’ Open Source Font

Andrew Orr ·

Adobe and Google partnered to create an open source font for East Asian languages called Source Han Sans. Adobe on Thursday released the latest iteration called Source Han Sans Variable.

The existing seven weights of Source Han Sans now come in a single file that encompasses the entire design space. This affords typographers more granular control: rather than seven static weights ranging from ExtraLight to Heavy, weight exists on a continuum and is expressed through minimum and maximum numeric values.

TMO Deals

Boost Mobile Prepaid 3 Months Unlimited Talk and Text: $45

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on three-months of prepaid service with Boost Mobile. It includes unlimited talk and text, and 5GB of LTE data with 99% nationwide coverage. And, mobile hotspot, taxes, and fees are included on all plans. Check the deal listing for more details and links for checking whether your phone number is eligible. This offer is $45 through our deal.

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'Hey Spotify' In-App Command Now Available on iOS and Android

Charlotte Henry ·

Spotify users on both iOS and Android can now use the phrase ‘Hey Spotify’, GSMArena reported. It activates the audio-streaming app’s built-in voice search when the screen is on and the app itself is open.

A notification was received by the Spotify app. It brought us to a screen that prompted us to turn on “Hey Spotify”. Saying the wake phrase will prompt Spotify’s built-in voice search while the screen is on and the Spotify app is open. This means that the app is continuously listening for the wake phrase. Spotify’s privacy policy for voice data usage states that Spotify says it only holds recordings and transcriptions of the searches that you perform when tapping the voice button or saying the wake phrase. The feature doesn’t really add any function outside of enabling Spotify’s own voice search for hands-free use.