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Apple would rather pay a maximum of €50 million in fines than address concerns brought forward by the Dutch competition authority regarding developer access to third-party payment methods on the App Store, the EU's head of digital policy, Margrethe Vestager, has said.

During a speech about the digital economy and privacy (via TechCrunch), Vestager said that Apple "essentially prefers paying periodic fines, rather than comply with a decision of the Dutch Competition Authority on the terms and conditions for third parties to access" the ‌App Store‌.

Effective enforcement, which includes the Commission having sufficient resources to do so, will be key to ensure compliance. Some gatekeepers may be tempted to play for time or try to circumvent the rules. Apple's conduct in the Netherlands these days may be an example. As we understand it, Apple essentially prefers paying periodic fines, rather than comply with a decision of the Dutch Competition Authority on the terms and conditions for third parties to access its App Store. And that will also be one of the obligations included in the DMA.

Last month, in compliance with a ruling from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), Apple announced it would allow dating apps on the Dutch ‌App Store‌ to use third-party payment methods for in-app purchases. In order to do so, developers are forced to keep two separate app binaries, one for their Dutch customers and another for customers elsewhere.

Additionally, Apple says it will collect a 27% commission on all purchases made with third-party payment methods, 3% less than the typical 30% cut the company takes when developers use the ‌App Store‌'s in-app purchase system. Apple's 27% commission is in addition to developers paying for a third-party payment processing platform, and any related charges of that process.

Shortly after Apple announced its plan, the authority said it would investigate the changes and determine whether or not Apple was abiding by the ruling.

The agency ultimately ruled that Apple's plans are not sufficient in addressing its concerns around the App Store. Consequently, the authority said it would fine Apple €5 million per week up to a maximum of €50 million until it complies. Apple has so far been fined five times, equating to a total of €25 million.

Apple has "refused to put forward any serious proposals," the ACM has said. The ACM added that Apple’s behavior is "regrettable" and it has "clearly explained to Apple how they can comply with ACM’s requirements." Apple's announced plans create "too many barriers for dating-app providers that wish to use their own payment systems," and it must "set reasonable conditions for the use of its services," the ACM continued.

Following a few deals on the cellular models of the iPad mini 6 earlier this year, Amazon now has the entry-level 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 for $459.00, down from $499.00. This sale is only available in Space Gray, and it's in stock and ready to ship from Amazon today.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Compared to previous sales, this is an all-time low price on this model of the iPad mini 6. The Starlight color is also being discounted on Amazon, but its sale isn't as steep and is priced at $474.00.

Anyone looking for more storage can get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 for $599.00, down from $649.00. This is another sale that we started tracking a few weeks ago, and it's the best price we've ever seen on this model as well.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Update: The deal on the 64GB iPad mini has now expired.

Apple has praised Dutch police as well as customers and staff at an Amsterdam store where a hostage situation yesterday came to a close with no injuries to the public and the suspect detained in custody.

In a statement obtained by TechCrunch, Apple said that all employees and customers are safe after the "terrifying experience" at Apple Amsterdam in Leidseplein on Tuesday.

"We want to thank local law enforcement for their exceptional work and ongoing investigation," said the statement, provided by an Apple spokesperson. "Our teams and customers took swift action and showed incredible strength and resolve today, and we are so thankful for the support and care they've shown each other under such challenging circumstances."

The statement came hours after local police resolved the hostage situation at the flagship store, which saw a man in camouflage gear and a balaclava fire a gun at least four times and then hold at least one person hostage for several hours before being apprehended.

A photo shared by local newspaper Het Parool showed the hostage taker sitting opposite the hostage, who appeared handcuffed with his hands behind his back. Several other people were also reported to have been inside when the incident began, but managed to escape unharmed.

The attack, which lasted from around 5:30 p.m. local time until 10:45 p.m., saw the store cordoned off and people in surrounding buildings ordered to stay indoors. According to police, the hostage-taker contacted authorities during the incident and demanded 200 million euros ($227 million) in cryptocurrency and a safe exit from the Apple store.

AT5 Echt Amsterdams Nieuws reported that the standoff came to an end when the hostage-taker requested water which was taken into the store by a robot, at which point the hostage attempted to run to safety. As the suspect chased after the hostage, police on the scene hit the running suspect with an armored BMW X5 and then checked him for explosives using a robot, which confirmed none were present.

According to the police, the suspect is a 27-year-old Amsterdam resident who sent selfies to the local press during the incident that appeared to show him wearing a bomb vest. The suspect was in possession of both an automatic weapon and a handgun. It's still unknown what prompted the incident, but he is believed to have acted alone.

Apple has added Dutch language voice recognition support for Siri in the latest HomePod 15.4 beta, further preparing the HomePod mini for release in the Netherlands in the near future.

The addition of voice recognition, spotted by iCulture, means ‌HomePod‌ or ‌HomePod mini‌ will be able to identify who is talking to it in a Dutch-speaking multi-person household so they can make personal requests based on their own data. The feature builds on the inclusion of Dutch language support for ‌Siri‌ in December.

In addition to the Netherlands, the ‌HomePod mini‌ will likely launch in at least four more countries in 2022, including Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, and Russia, as the speaker also gained support for languages spoken in those countries in the December update.

The previous ‌HomePod‌ 15.3 software update added ‌Siri‌ voice recognition support for up to six users in a home in English (India) and Italian.

First released in October 2020, the ‌HomePod mini‌ is currently available in the United States, Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Apple began offering the ‌HomePod mini‌ in yellow, orange, and blue colors in November 2021.

Apple is in preliminary talks with new suppliers about backend orders for its first in-house 5G modem chips for iPhones, according to a new report from DigiTimes.

Apple is reportedly negotiating with ASE Technology, which owns Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL), to package some of its first self-designed 5G modem chips.

The report notes that ASE and SPIL have both been Qualcomm's partners for packaging 5G modem chips for iPhones, including its latest Snapdragon X65 5G modem-RF system now being manufactured at Samsung Electronics.

Apple is estimated to ship at least 200 million new iPhones in 2023, and will surely rely on multiple partners to handle backend processing of its in-house 5G modem chips and RF transceiver ICs, based on its regular supply chain management policy for its devices, the sources added.

Apple has already lined up its main chip manufacturing partner TSMC to begin producing the majority of its new in-house modem chips, which are expected to appear in the 2023 iPhone.

Apple and TSMC are currently trialing production of Apple's in-house modem designs using TSMC's 5-nanometer process, but that they will shift to the more advanced 4-nanometer technology for mass production.

TSMC is already aiming to use 4-nanometer technology for the main A-series chip in the 2022 ‌‌iPhone‌‌ lineup, with 2022 iPads and 2023 iPhones moving to 3-nanometer technology for their A-series chips.

The move, which has been under development for several years and enhanced by Apple's 2019 acquisition of the majority of Intel's modem business, will allow Apple to shift away from Qualcomm as a supplier for the important chips that support cellular connectivity.

Apple is no longer requiring customers to wear masks when visiting Apple Stores in many locations across the United States, reports Bloomberg. Apple has dropped mask mandates following changes in local guidelines and a reduction in COVID-19 cases.

Employees have been informed of the mask updates, and Apple has also updated its website to provide details on which locations are no longer requiring masks. Apple is still recommending that customers wear masks, and Apple employees need to continue to wear masks at this time.

Masks are still required in states and regions with stricter mask guidelines, such as Hawaii, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, and select areas in California. Apple will continue to update its mask mandates as local requirements change.

Apple's store website says that "face masks are required while visiting this location" if customers need to wear a mask. For stores where it's optional, Apple's messaging says that face masks are recommended, and in other areas where vaccines are required for visiting indoor locations maskless, Apple makes it clear that masks are optional for those who are vaccinated.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is also preparing for the return of in-person "Today at Apple" classes at its retail stores. In some locations, in-person classes will be available as early as this week, while other stores will restart classes in March.

In iOS 15.4, Apple has introduced a fifth "American" Siri voice, which can be selected from the Settings app by going to ‌Siri‌ & Search and then selecting ‌Siri‌ Voice. The new voice is the fifth option, which joins the original four American ‌Siri‌ voices.

The "American" voice is the only new voice that was added today for users in the United States, and there appear to have been no other updates to ‌Siri‌'s voice options.

Those running the latest iOS 15.4 developer beta can listen to the new voice, which is distinct from prior voice selections.

Today's beta update also introduces the AirTags anti-stalking changes that Apple announced earlier this month.

The newly released fourth beta of iOS 15.4 introduces the anti-stalking AirTag changes that Apple announced earlier this month, providing a setup warning that using an ‌AirTag‌ or another Find My-linked item to track someone without consent is a crime.

"You can locate this item using the Find My network," reads the setup screen. "Using this item to track people without their consent is a crime in many regions around the world. This item is designed to be detected by victims and to enable law enforcement to request identifying information about the owner."

With this warning, Apple wants to make it clear to those who would use AirTags and Find My-compatible devices from third-party companies as stalking tools that such a use case is illegal and has criminal repercussions. Apple earlier this month said that the warning would be added to an upcoming update.

Apple also said that it would address a bug that was causing confusion around unwanted tracking, a change that is also likely in the new beta. AirPods can cause an "Unknown Accessory Alert" warning that some people were interpreting as a notice from an ‌AirTag‌. ‌AirTags‌ are not able to display the "Unknown Accessory Detected" messaging, which is caused by AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, third-generation AirPods, and in some cases, a ‌Find My‌ network accessory.

Going forward, Apple is making sure that all accessories properly identify themselves so there is no more confusion about non-AirTag devices.

We have confirmed the messaging changes are in the current iOS 15.4 beta, and Apple has also made some other minor tweaks as well. In the ‌Find My‌ app, there is no longer an option to toggle off "Item Safety Alerts," with Apple instead offering "Customize ‌Find My‌ Notifications" and "Customize Tracking Notifications" options.

At the current time, both of these options redirect to the Notifications options for the ‌Find My‌ app, and it's not clear if Apple will change that in the future with more granular settings to select from.

Later this year, Apple plans to introduce additional anti-stalking measures that include support for Precision Finding for unknown AirTags, display alerts that pop up whenever a sound is played, and louder ‌AirTag‌ sounds.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS macOS Monterey 12.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming a week after the release of the third macOS Monterey 12.3 beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.

macOS Monterey 12.3 is a major update that introduces Universal Control, a feature that Apple first teased at WWDC and then delayed for several months. ‌Universal Control‌ is designed to allow you to use a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard across multiple Macs and iPads (with iPads running iPadOS 15.4).

After updating your devices to macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, ‌Universal Control‌ works automatically, allowing your Mac's cursor and keyboard to work on the iPad and vice versa. It's simple and intuitive to use.

macOS Monterey 12.3 adds support for updating the AirPods firmware when the earbuds are connected to a Mac, plus it deprecates kernel extensions used by Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive, and it eliminates Python 2, with Apple instructing developers to use an alternative scripting language like Python 3 going forward.

There are also new emoji characters, including melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming one week after Apple seeded the third betas of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.

Developers can download iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.

iOS and iPadOS 15.4 introduce some of the most significant changes we've seen in an update since iOS 15 launched. On the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 13 models, there's now an option to use Face ID while wearing a mask with no Apple Watch required for authentication. It works just like Face ID, but it scans the area around your eyes when you're wearing a mask.

On ‌iPad‌, iPadOS 15.4 brings the long awaited Universal Control feature. Paired with a Mac running macOS Monterey 12.3, Universal Control allows multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with a single cursor and keyboard. It's a feature that works seamlessly after installing the updates, and it is simple and intuitive to use.

There are 37 new emojis with the addition of Emoji 14 characters, so you can now use emojis that include melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

The second beta added support for the "Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌" feature that is designed to allow NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets, without requiring additional hardware.

Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌ is enabled in the iOS 15.4 beta, but it does require third-party providers to add support, so it is not yet available for use.

There are also signs that Apple may be planning to roll out support for digital IDs and driver's licenses in iOS 15.4. There isn't a ton of evidence for this at the current time, but there was a mention of the feature in the PassKit code in beta 2. "Find out when your driver's license or state ID is ready to use and get important updates about your ID," it reads.

Other new features include full 120Hz ProMotion support for app animations on ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro models, EU vaccine certificates in the Wallet app, the ability to turn off notifications for Shortcuts automations, keyboard brightness controls in Control Center on the ‌iPad‌, an Apple Card widget, iCloud Keychain notes, support for adding custom email domains to ‌iCloud‌ Mail right on device, and a SharePlay option in the share sheet.

We have a full list of all of the features introduced in iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 in our dedicated guide highlighting everything new in the update.

Update: Apple has also made the iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 betas available for public beta testers.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 8.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the release of the third watchOS 8.5 beta.

To install ‌‌‌watchOS 8.5, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌‌‌watchOS 8.5‌‌‌ can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌‌. You'll also need the accompanying iOS 15.4 update before you can install watchOS 8.5.

watchOS 8.5 introduces support for Emoji 14 characters, with new additions including melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

Police officers are surrounding Apple Amsterdam in Leidseplein following reports that a gunman entered the store. A video shared on Twitter showed a man in a balaclava holding a gun while gripping a possible hostage, and Amsterdam police have confirmed that there is indeed a hostage situation.

People in surrounding buildings have been ordered to stay indoors, and the area around the store has been cordoned off. The attack happened at 5:40 p.m. local time, and Amsterdam police are not providing additional information to ensure the safety of all people involved.

More detail on what's going on can be sourced from local Amsterdam news sites such as Het Parool, De Telegraaf, NOS, and AT5, which are providing updates.

Update: Police have confirmed that several people that were being held hostage at the Amsterdam Apple Store have been freed. No other information has been shared. "Since the start of the hostage situation in the Apple Store on Leidseplein, several people have been able to leave the building. We do not want to share any information about the situation in and around the building at the moment."

Update 2: The remaining hostage is safe and the hostage taker is now in police custody.

Spotify's first hardware device, the "Car Thing," is now available to purchase in the United States for $89.99.

Announced in April last year, the Car Thing is an in-car dash-mounted music and podcast player designed to provide a more seamless and personalized listening experience, especially in the large number of cars that do not support modern in-car infotainment systems or Apple CarPlay.

The Car Thing is aimed at Spotify Premium subscribers with these needs and features a touchscreen, a knob for navigation, voice control features, and four user-configurable buttons for fast access to areas such as favorite music, podcasts, or playlists.

The user interface takes cues from the Spotify mobile app so that it is familiar to users, and there is the choice of touch controls, "Hey Spotify" voice commands, or physical navigation via the knob. The Car Thing works over Bluetooth, or via an AUX or USB cable, and it comes with three different dash and vent mounts to ensure that it fits to the dashboard securely, as well as a car charger and a USB-C cable.

The Car Thing is compatible with iOS and Android devices, and connects to a user's smartphone for data and linking to the Spotify app. The Car Thing was initially only available to selected users who requested an invite during the device's testing period, but now the device is now publicly available in the United States for $89.99 including shipping.

Bowdoin College today announced that it will be providing every student with a 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip, an iPad mini, and an Apple Pencil, complete with access to a full range of course-specific software, beginning in fall 2022.

The cost of the program will be covered entirely by Bowdoin, a liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. Students will have the option to pay $1 to keep their equipment when they graduate, according to the announcement.

Bowdoin already provided students with a cellular iPad Pro, an Apple Pencil, and a Magic Keyboard in the summer of 2020, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning students will use the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil they already received, in addition to a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with course-specific software as part of the expanded program.

"During the pandemic we witnessed firsthand the power of a common technology platform for teaching and learning," said Bowdoin College president Clayton Rose.

"At Apple we believe education can be a profound force for equity, and that the right technology can enhance and extend teaching and learning," said Apple's vice president of education and enterprise product marketing Susan Prescott.

Most students will receive their new equipment at orientation, or upon arrival to campus in fall 2022. More details are available on Bowdoin's website.

Microsoft Edge is on the verge of overtaking Safari as the world's second most popular desktop browser, web analytics service StatCounter reports (via TechRadar).

According to the data, Microsoft Edge is now used on 9.54 percent of desktops worldwide, a mere 0.3 percent behind Apple's Safari, which stands at 9.84 percent. Google Chrome continues to hold first place with an overwhelming 65.38 percent of the market. Mozilla Firefox takes fourth place with 9.18 percent.

In January 2021, Safari held a 10.38 percent market share and appears to be gradually losing users to rival browsers over time. If the trend continues, Apple is likely to slip to third or fourth place in the near future. Edge and Chrome are now both Chromium-based browsers, meaning that Chromium will likely come to dominate the top two desktop browsers.

While Edge appears to be set to overtake Safari on a global scale, in North America, Safari is in a stronger position, being used on 16.87 percent of desktops compared to Edge's 11.93 percent market share. In Europe, Edge has already surpassed Safari, taking 10.9 percent of the market compared to Safari's 9.95 percent. The data is similar in Asia, where Safari's 5.41 percent market share trails behind Edge's 7.46 percent.

Matters are different on mobile platforms, where Safari has a more secure position in second place with a 26.71 percent market share. Despite Safari being the default browser on the iPhone and iPad, Chrome still dominates both iOS and Android with a market share of 62.06 percent. StatCounter suggests that Edge's mobile presence is comparatively diminutive even though it has been downloaded 10 million times on the Google Play Store.

Safari has been met with complaints from some users in recent years over the browser's bugs, user experience, and website compatibility. Apple's Safari team recently asked for feedback amid accusations that "Safari is the worst, it's the new IE."

The problems reached fever pitch last year when Apple unveiled a substantial redesign for Safari at WWDC, which was met with widespread criticism that accused the changes of being "counterintuitive." After months of tweaking the ambitious redesign in response to feedback, Apple eventually gave up on the changes just before the public release of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, reverting to the previous Safari design by default.

Amazon today has a rare, steep discount on the stainless steel model of the Apple Watch Series 7. You can get the 41mm Cellular Stainless Steel Apple Watch Series 7 with Starlight Sport Band for $449.99, down from $699.00, thanks to a coupon that will be applied at the checkout screen.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

In total, this sale is taking $249 off the Apple Watch Series 7, and it's one of the best discounts on the higher-end stainless steel models that we've ever tracked. There are a few other stainless steel models on sale in 41mm and 45mm sizes, ranging between $50 and $80 in savings.

In addition to this sale, you can also save on numerous models of the aluminum Apple Watch Series 7. The 41mm GPS Aluminum model is down to $349.00, from $399.00 in multiple colors; and the 45mm GPS Aluminum model is on sale for $379.00, down from $429.00 in multiple colors.

Across the board these are the best discounts we've ever seen on each model of the Apple Watch Series 7, making it a great time to purchase the newest Apple wearable. Most models are in stock now and ready to ship today, and as of writing only Amazon is offering this many Series 7 devices at a discount.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

The iPhone 14 could offer better battery life and feature Wi-Fi 6E connectivity thanks to a new 5G chip, supply chain sources claim.

Taiwan's Economic Daily News reports that TSMC has obtained all of Apple's orders for its 5G radio frequency (RF) chips for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup, taking over from Samsung. The chips, likely related to Apple's selection of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X65 modem, are purported to be produced using TSMC's 6nm process, which the supplier announced last year. TSMC said that the 6nm process for 5G RF chips can provide a physically smaller chip with lower power consumption.

The 6nm RF process enables the chip to use less power on both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G bands while still providing a high level of performance. As well as being more efficient, shrinking the large RF transceiver component inside the ‌iPhone‌ is expected to free up space. Each additional square millimeter of space that is reclaimed is purported to create more room for a larger battery. Together, the improved efficiency and miniaturization of the RF chip are said to result in better overall battery life.

The RF transceiver chip is also reported to feature support for Wi-Fi 6E, in line with previous rumors claiming that the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup will support the upgraded connectivity. Wi-Fi 6E offers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6, including higher performance, lower latency, and faster data rates, extended into the 6GHz band. The additional spectrum provides more airspace beyond existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, resulting in increased bandwidth and less interference.

In 2019, Apple and Qualcomm settled a legal battle and reached a multiyear chipset supply agreement, paving the way for Apple to use Qualcomm's 5G modems. A court document from the settlement revealed that Apple was planning to use the Snapdragon X60 modem, manufactured by Samsung, in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup, followed by the Snapdragon X65 modem in the 2022 ‌iPhone‌ lineup.

Starting in 2023, Apple is expected to move away from Qualcomm's chips and implement its own custom-designed 5G modem in the ‌iPhone‌.

The X65 is the world's first 10 Gigabit 5G modem and antenna system for smartphones, enabling theoretical data speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second. While real-world download speeds will likely be much slower than that, the X65 has other benefits such as improved power efficiency, enhanced coverage for both mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands, and support for all global commercialized mmWave frequencies.

Apple's pivot away from Samsung toward TSMC to manufacture its RF chips for 2022's ‌iPhone‌ lineup appear to be part of the final solidification of the ‌iPhone‌ 14's supply chain ahead of the start of mass production. Simultaneously, Foxconn has begun trial production of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro.