Foxconn says it’s getting iPhone production back on track. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to talk righting the ship post holidays. Plus Apple’s pause in Twitter ads was not about Elon Musk nor free speech. It was apparently about propriety and decency. We’ll talk it over.
The Mac Observer Show
A Mixed Reality and Mailbag Monday - TMO Daily Observations 2022-12-05
Bloomberg and TF International have info on Apple’s mixed reality headset. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to discuss that. Plus the Sunbird messaging app, Eufy video storage, and Elon Musk are in for Mailbag Monday.
Music and Video Wrapped and Replayed - TMO Daily Observations 2022-12-01
Year’s end can mean only one thing: War between Spotify and Apple Music. Nick deCourville joins Ken to talk about the end of the year music recaps Wrapped and Replay. Plus – New old content is officially “Included with Apple TV+,” and Will Smith does PR for “Emancipation”
Our Security and Smartphone Futures - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-30
Mac Geek Gab co-host Dave Hamilton is really excited about Rapid Security Response coming in iOS 16.2. Ken is as well, though he seems argumentative about it anyway. Also – societal norms around smartphones are still being hammered out, in Dave’s estimation. He’ll drive a conversation about those.
Captains of Industry - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-29
Elon Musk has decided to pick a fight with Apple. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and Ken talk over the Twitter Owner and CEO’s trollish behavior. Plus – Disney CEO Bob Iger addresses talk of Apple acquiring Disney, and Tim Cook’s post-Thanksgiving visit with victims of the Hingham Apple Store crash.
Protests in China and Chipmaking in Arizona - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-28
“iPhone City” isn’t the only city in China seeing protests. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins us to talk societal issues, Foxconn issues, and issues for Apple investors. Then, a Mailbag Monday question from Johnny: If chipmaking needs water, why are chipmakers going to Arizona?
Noise Around Various Voice Assistants - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-23
News on the Hingham Apple Store tragedy, stirring the Apple/Disney M&A stew, and the noise around various voice assistants – we’re wrapping a holiday shortened week with TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts. Happy Thanksgiving, one and all.
What a Week Monday Was - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-22
Bad news and interesting topics to tackle Tuesday. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to discuss a tragedy at a Boston-area Apple Store, whether Apple can keep outperforming the markets, processors coming out of the Arizona desert, and Bob Iger’s return as CEO of Disney.
Two Takes on AAPL and Solutions to the Twitter Issue - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-21
Will Apple buoy the markets or is it set to sink? Two pieces from Barron’s argue both sides. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to talk them over. Plus – An Apple exec has left Twitter and a former president is invited to return. How likely are Apple and Google to keep a check on the birdhouse?
A Glass Half Full of Chips - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-18
Is Apple’s plan to buy chips sourced from Arizona actually good news? Depends which headline you read. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to to talk about the glass half-empty takes. Plus – Apple hardware is filling the glass with medical goodness.
Emergency SOS Demo and New Old Content for Apple TV+ - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-17
When is old content new again? When Apple TV+ uses it to generate buzz. TMO writer Nick deCourville joins us to talk the Cupertino-streamer’s stealth programming plan. First though, TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts walks us through the Emergency SOS via satellite demo on iPhone 14.
What Does Warren Buffett's TSMC Investment Tell Us? - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-16
Warren Buffet doesn’t invest in fads. This used to mean he didn’t invest in tech, though between his Apple holdings and the $4.1B he’s invested in chipmaker TSMC, he’s pretty deep in tech at this point. So – what does that mean for technology? “Daily Tech News Show” host Tom Merritt joins Ken to trip down memory lane and peer into tomorrow.
Concerns About Ads from Inside Apple - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-15
There’s word of a certain malaise inside Apple’s ad department. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to kick that around. Plus – Russian code has been found in apps used by the CDC and the US Army. Jeff will fill us in.
A Privacy Lawsuit for Apple and the First Mailbag Monday - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-14
Security researchers say Apple was/is tracking a lot of App Store activity in iOS 14.6. In the time of iOS 16.1.1, this has led to a lawsuit. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and Ken talk that over. Plus – Twitter and Emergency SOS via Satellite and Steve Jobs’ sandals make it into Mailbag Monday!
A Shorter AirDrop and the Happiest Merger on Earth - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-11
China’s new AirDrop limit may go global in 2023. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to discuss that. Plus, rumor has people inside Disney hoping that Apple will try to buy Disney. Ken and Jeff kick the idea around.
Foldable Gadgets and a Truly Killer VR App - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-10
Samsung keeps predicting foldable phones and TMO writer Nick deCourville can’t wait. He joins Ken to talk about that, plus a group that made a foldable iPhone of their own. Then, Oculus creator Palmer Luckey says he’s made a VR rig with a sick and twisted twist: When a user dies in VR, they die in meatspace, too.
AR and VR with Creative Strategies CEO Ben Bajarin - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-09
Today, Ken talks with one of his favorite industry people about one of his favorite topics: Creative Strategies Principal Analyst and CEO Ben Bajarin hits the show to talk augmented reality, virtual reality, Facebook, Apple, and the metaverse.
Minus One Bloodbath Plus One Chaotic Mess - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-08
TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to talk about how wrong Ken was about Apple shares after the weekend iPhone warning. Then, Jeff has many, many thoughts on the chaotic mess than has been Elon Musk’s handling of Twitter.
Apple Warns on iPhone 14 Pro Production - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-07
A press release on a Sunday night? TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to talk about the bad iPhone news Apple offered and who the news was for. Plus – Major League Soccer may be Apple’s advertising test kitchen for that other football people like so much.
Issues with Unions and Cross Promotion - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-04
The first Apple Store union in the US has a formal complaint against Apple. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts brings us the story. Then, cross promotions are making Ken cross. Changes to the Weather app and Apple TV prompt the question – Are Apple Services sinking under the weight of their synergies?
Paying Musicians and Paying for Music - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-03
When it comes to paying artists, which streaming music service is the best? TMO writer Nick deCorville and Ken look at the complexities around that question. Plus – Amazon has a new music offering for Prime members that… sounds… like… a thing.
Grumpy and Gleeful Apple and Tech News - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-02
There’s tech news that brings us down and tech news that boosts our spirits. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken today, as each brings one bothersome story and one happy story to the mix.
A Louder iPhone City and Considering the Plastic iPad - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-01
Concerns around iPhone production and COVID lockdowns have grown louder since the weekend. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts joins Ken to talk through some of those. Plus – was Apple right to shelve a plastic iPad?