Per various deals to offer the iPhone with certain cellular plans, Apple is making Comcast and Charter sell other Apple devices too.
Apple
Mac Pro: All Apologies, Signed Apple Pundits
Apple’s new Mac Pro is a great machine, but John Kheit argues that it leaves a hole for enthusiasts, and that those enthusiasts are walking away from Apple.
Apple TV Strategy by the Numbers
At one time, it was theorized that Apple would make its own TV set, integrated with Apple TV functionality. Instead, Apple has gone one better by seeking to integrate the Apple TV (4K) into TVs made by others. LoupVentures has the strategy and the numbers.
We believe, eventually, many major TVs will embed Apple TV software. This adoption curve may be similar to CarPlay …
Apple’s approach to the living room has been… led by Apple TV which we estimate is now used in 26m US homes monthly (21% of US households). We believe there are 53 million active Apple TVs worldwide.
While this may appear to be the beginning of the end of the Apple TV box, we believe the device will retain unique value. We believe the standalone box will continue …
This is, of course, all about ramping up for Apple TV+ subscriptions.
Apple's New Mac Pro: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with John Kheit - ACM 515
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit dig into Apple’s new Mac Pro, covering the good, the bad, and the ugly. They talk specs, costs, some of the things that came out since the keynote, and weigh the very important question of whether they want one. Spoiler, yes, but John’s actually likely to pull the trigger. Bryan also makes sure to give John plenty of room to take his victory laps for the many things he got right leading up to this long-awaited announcement.
22 Years of Apple Website Design History Visualized
The Version Museum has a visual history of 22 years of Apple website design history, starting in 1994.
Version Museum is devoted to showcasing the visual history of popular websites, games, apps, and operating systems that have shaped our lives.
The biggest change is the evolution of that tab bar at the top of the website, going from light to dark.
App Developers Angry at App Store Costs Sue Apple
iOS app developers filed a lawsuit against Apple in California, claiming the company abuses its dominant position of the App Store.
Apple Card vs. All the Cards and What Is Apple Becoming, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 514
Apple Card is coming soon, and Bryan Chaffin and guest-cohost Jeff Gamet compare it to the Amazon Prime card and other credit cards. They also dive into the heady topic of what exactly Apple is in the process of coming. Spoiler, Jeff guesses wrong when he says “a services company.”
Advertising Agency Appoints New iPhone and Apple Services Creative Leads
Apple’s advertising agency has revamped its leadership ranks, promoting new creative leads for the iPhone and Apple’s Services.
An Inside Look at the Qualcomm Monopoly Ruling
Timothy Lee did a nice deep dive into the 233-page Qualcomm monopoly ruling from Judge Lucy Koh. I’ve heard hot takes of the settlement between Apple and Qualcomm that suggested maybe Apple knew it was going to lose and gave up. But Judge Koh ordered Qualcomm to renegotiate with its customers.
The legal document outlines a nearly 20-year history of overcharging smartphone makers for cellular chips. Qualcomm structured its contracts with smartphone makers in ways that made it almost impossible for other chipmakers to challenge Qualcomm’s dominance. Customers who didn’t go along with Qualcomm’s one-sided terms were threatened with an abrupt and crippling loss of access to modem chips.
In her ruling, Koh ordered Qualcomm to stop threatening customers with chip cutoffs. Qualcomm must now re-negotiate all of its agreements with customers and license its patents to competitors on reasonable terms.
New iPod Touch With A10 Fusion Chip Launched
Apple released a new iPod touch powered by the A10 Fusion chip and with improved performance for games, AR experiences, and Group FaceTime.
Huawei Boss: 'Apple is my Teacher'
Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei said he would oppose being Apple being blacklisted in his home country of China, saying the firm was his “teacher.”
Mac Hardware at WWDC, AppKit vs. UIKit, Next-Gen Wi-Fi, with John Kheit - ACM 513
Bryan Chaffin and guest John Kheit start this week’s show off with an immediate siderail about The Curse of Oak Island and Cooper’s Treasure, because that’s what they do. The real topics, however, include what Apple’s MacBook Pro announcement might mean for Mac hardware at WWDC. They also look at the brewing fight between UIKit and AppKit, and what’s coming in the world of Wi-Fi.
![Throwboy Makes [Apple] Iconic Pillows](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Throwboy.jpg)
Throwboy Makes [Apple] Iconic Pillows
From Kickstarter:
“5 throw pillows inspired by 5 iconic, game-changing products of the technology world. Each pillow takes you through a different era in the computer revolution and celebrates the memories we made during these times. Made of super soft, high quality plush material, these 3D pillows feature fine embroidery, smooth contours and artisan style craftsmanship.”
Chinese Move to Boycott Apple Because of Huawei
Apple and Huawei are caught in the trade war between China and the United States. There is a growing ‘Boycott Apple’ movement in China.
Marzipan, iMessage's Social Media Play, WWDC Spoilers, with Andrew Orr - ACM 512
Will Marzipan be locked to the Mac App Store, and what effect will it have on the Mac experience? Bryan Chaffin is joined by Andrew Orr to discuss this, as well as the idea that iMessage is slowly backing its way to being Apple’s first successful social media play. They cap the show with a look at recent WWDC spoilers.
Make that Call: Apple's New Purchase Setup Calls Can Help Even Seasoned Vets
Have you purchased a new Apple product and received an invitation for a free setup call? Lisa Hamilton says that even seasoned Apple veterans can benefit from these calls and should take advantage of them.
UK Only Behind the Mac Music Page Live
Apple launched ‘Behind the Music’, a UK-only page on its website outlining how its products help users compose, record, and mix music.
Apple Rises to Third in Fortune 500 Companies List
Apple rose to third place in the Fortune 500 Companies list, up a place from the year before, and beaten only by Exxon Mobil and Walmart.
Supreme Court's Apple Decision, Apple Retail – TMO Daily Observations 2019-05-13
John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join host Kelly Guimont to discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling against Apple and the state of Apple Retail.
Apple Earns Money, Services vs. Hardware, and AT&T's Fake 5G with Ken Ray - ACM 511
Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest cohost Ken Ray for a spirited look into Apple’s earnings report. The two also weigh the real meaning behind Apple’s outward emphasis on services and what that means for Apple hardware. They cap the show with a rant about AT&T’s fake 5G. Spoiler: AT&T’s claims of a “5G” network are fake.
Privacy and Luxury, Apple's Magic Levels – TMO Daily Observations 2019-05-08
Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Google’s assertion privacy is not a luxury item, and Apple’s “magic.”
Google's Sundar Pichai Takes Privacy Swipe at Apple
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said privacy “cannot be a luxury good” in what amounts to thinly veiled criticism of Apple.
SAP and Apple Expand Enterprise Partnership
SAP announced an expanded partnership with Apple at its Sapphire conference, which will see enterprise apps for available on iOS and Mac.
Lots of Good Reasons for Apple to Dump the Mac's Intel CPUs
Ed Hardy at Cult of Mac writes:
It’s past time Macs stopped depending on Intel processors. There’s new evidence to show they’ve outlived their usefulness. A switch to Apple-designed chips will make macOS devices better for a variety of reasons …
It’s an opinion piece, but the author’s opinions are, in my parallel view, well-founded.