MacRumors

Apple is the leading buyer of companies in the global artificial intelligence space, according to data shared today by GlobalData. From 2016 to 2020, Apple acquired the highest number of AI companies, beating out Accenture, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, all of whom also had a high number of AI acquisitions.

Over the course of the last several years, Apple has bought companies like Emotient, Turi, Glimpse, RealFace, Shazam, SensoMotoric, Silk Labs, Drive.ai, Laserlike, SpectralEdge, Voysis, XNOR.ai, and more, all with the aim of improving the AI and machine learning capabilities of its products and services.

Apple does not make all of its acquisitions public, so it's possible there are other artificial intelligence companies that Apple has purchased that have gone under the radar.

During Apple's February shareholders meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple had acquired close to 100 companies over the course of the last six years. "We're not afraid to look at acquisitions of any size," said Cook. "Focus is on small, innovative companies that complement our products and help push them forward."

According to GlobalData analyst Aurojyoti Bose, growing competition in the AI space has led to an acquisition spree.

"Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook collectively undertook 60 acquisitions in the AI tech space during 2016-2020 while Apple led the race with 25 acquisitions. AI has remained a key focus area for tech giants and growing competition to dominate the space has resulted in an acquisition spree among these companies."

Many of Apple's acquisitions have been aimed at improving Siri. Apple purchased Inductiv to improve ‌Siri‌'s data, while Voysis was acquired to improve ‌Siri‌'s understanding of natural language. PullString, meanwhile, makes it easier for iOS developers to use ‌Siri‌ features in apps.

"Apple has gone on a shopping spree in efforts to catch up with Google (Google Assistant) and Amazon (Alexa). Siri was first on the market, but it consistently ranks below the two in terms of "smartness", which is partly why Apple is far behind in smart speaker sales. Apple also want to make sure to keep its strong position within wearables. It is the dominant player in smartwatches. The acquisition of Xnor.ai last year was made to improve its on-edge processing capabilities, which has become important as it eliminates the need for data to be sent to the cloud, thereby improving data privacy."

Other acquisitions are aimed at future products, like Drive.ai, a self-driving startup that Apple purchased in 2019, presumably to further its autonomous car development project.

All of the above listed companies are also on an "AI talent-hiring spree" and collectively posted more than 14,000 jobs in the AI space in 2020.

Throwboy, known for its pillows and blankets that look like classic Apple products, this week debuted a new series of t-shirts that may interest Apple fans.

Available in both women's sizes and men's sizes, there are several Apple product-themed design options to choose from like the iconic Apple time 9:41, or the design of the Command key.

There's a rainbow design that lists Apple's most important products like the Macintosh, iMac, iPod, and iPhone, along with a "1984" design that harkens back to the classic Apple ad and a "Think Different (Again)" t-shirt.

Each shirt is priced at $32.99 and can be purchased from the Throwboy website.

Spotify today announced that it has overhauled its desktop app and web player with an "improved look and feel" that offers design parity and also makes both the app and the web experience easier to use.

According to Spotify, it took "months" of tests, research, and user feedback to develop the new, cleaner design that's simpler while also offering all of the useful features from the desktop app.

Using the desktop app and then switching to the web player will feel like a seamless experience now that the two share the same general design. There's a redesigned Home experience, search has been relocated to the left side of the navigation page, and listener profile pages feature top artists and tracks. Users can now start a radio session for any song or artist using the "..." menu.

It's easier than ever to edit and customize playlists, and there's a new embedded search bar for quickly locating new songs and podcast episodes to add. With a new dropdown menu in the top-right corner, Spotify desktop app users can edit Queue and view Recently played.

Spotify users on Mac can download the new Spotify app for desktop from the Spotify website or use Spotify in the browser through open.spotify.com.

T-Mobile today announced that it is the first U.S. wireless provider that has managed to complete deals with all wireless networks to implement full number spoofing and spam call protection for customers.

With these partnerships in place, T-Mobile has completed its implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN standards that are in place to combat illegal caller ID spoofing. T-Mobile is now able to authenticate calls with wireless and network providers that represent 98 percent of wireless customers in the United States.

T-Mobile offers a "Scam Shield" Un-carrier feature that susses out and blocks scams and robocalls. The company has been working on improving Scam Shield, and its new partnerships with Spectrum Voice and Charter Communications ensure number verification across almost all providers in the U.S. to authenticate incoming calls for T-Mobile customers.

"T-Mobile was first to implement number verification in 2019 because protecting customers against scammers and spammers is one of the most important things we can do as an industry," said Mike Sievert, CEO T-Mobile. "To date, T-Mobile has protected over 80 million customers from more than 33 billion suspect calls - and counting. With the combination of Number Verification, free Caller ID and the scam blocking tools in Scam Shield, and by working with network providers of all sizes, we are providing the industry's most comprehensive scam and spam protection for free to all our customers and working every day to make scammers jobs impossible."

The FCC is requiring all carriers in the United States to implement STIR/SHAKEN by June 2021, so other major wireless providers like AT&T and Verizon will need to add the same protections for their customers.

T-Mobile's Scam Shield is a free Caller ID tool that warns customers when a number calling is likely to be a scammer, and there's an option to block scammers entirely.

AT&T and Verizon have similar spam caller prevention tools, but both charge for premium access. AT&T charges $3.99 for features that include Caller ID (though it is included free in the highest tier unlimited plans), while Verizon charges $2.99 per month for Caller ID. Both AT&T and Verizon are working to implement STIR/SHAKEN for identifying spoofed calls.

Apple is researching the use of "deployable feet" on the MacBook Pro to aid cooling, according to a newly-published patent application.

The patent application, first spotted by Patently Apple, is titled "Deployable Feet for Display Articulation and Thermals Performance" and outlines how a ‌MacBook Pro‌ could feature feet that move to raise up the rear of the device. Apple's deployable feet are able to extend by at least 3.8 millimeters, thereby significantly increasing airflow underneath the machine.

The filing explains how, in one embodiment, the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s display hinge could be connected to the deployable feet, so that the feet deploy relative to the mechanical movement of the lid.

In other embodiments, the feet could be deployed via a gear train, pneumatics, electro-mechanics, or simply flipped out manually by a user. The filing also suggests that the entire base of a ‌MacBook Pro‌ could expand, rather than individual feet.

The patent application explains that deployable feet can be an "efficient means of cooling the device" without taking up internal space with large components such as fans, ensuring that the MacBook remains "thin and lightweight while simultaneously including numerous features delivering high performance."

As the number and performance of internal components increases, so do thermal and other demands on the electronic device. Thus, there exists a demand for efficient usage of space within an electronic device, and efficient means of cooling the device. Accordingly, it can be desirable for an electronic device to include deployable features that can both increase clearance of the base portion and also improve the efficiency of the internal volume of the base portion, while maintaining a portable and sleek form factor.

In an embodiment where the deployable section is larger, the patent states that "the deployable feature can at least partially define a vent when deployed," potentially adding a dedicated vent as well as increasing natural airflow underneath the device.

In addition, Apple explains how the deployable feet tie into the Mac's software. When in a deployed position, the Mac's processor may be permitted to get hotter to deliver better performance, due to the increased airflow. In Macs that do feature a fan as well as deployable feet, the fan's speed would be "at least partially" determined based on the extent of the deployment.

The electronic device can include a sensor that detects at least one of a temperature or a processing speed of the electronic device, and provides the signal in response to the detection. The electronic device can further include a fan, wherein a speed of the fan is at least partially based on a state of the deployable feature.

The filing also addresses the potential waste of space within a MacBook that deployable feet could cause. It proposes that when in the deployed position, the internal space used to store the feet may be repurposed to be "usable by an antenna or a speaker."

The design has the added advantage of giving the display hinge more clearance to rotate, as well as improving the angle of the device for typing and raising the height of the display for greater comfort.

While Apple's patent applications cannot be taken as sure evidence of what the company is intending to add to its devices, there may be good reason to suggest that a feature such as deployable feet could be implemented on MacBooks at some point in the future.

Apple is demonstrably interested in passive cooling. The company has explored passively-cooled laptops starting with the 12-inch MacBook in 2015, and most recently with the latest MacBook Air, which features no fan or vents on its base for cooling. Moreover, as the internal components of MacBooks are becoming more compact with the advent of Apple silicon, alongside improved battery life, it is perhaps more likely that deployable feet could be justified within a future Mac laptop.

Apple is believed to be working on high-performance custom silicon processors for future ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Unlike the M1 chip, which generally runs very cool and powers Apple's entry-level Macs, the next-generation Apple silicon expected to come to the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is likely to have much more demanding thermal requirements.

Deployable feet could be one way in which Apple is able to improve the thermals of its passively cooled MacBooks, as well as enable even higher-performance on its Pro machines with active cooling, at some time in the future.

Taiwanese supplier ASE Technology has started production of optical sensors for next-generation AirPods slated to launch in the third quarter of 2021, according to industry sources cited in a paywalled DigiTimes story preview today.

The full report has yet to be published, so there are no further details at this time, but the timeframe lines up with information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier this month claimed that third-generation AirPods will enter mass production in the third quarter of the year. The quarter runs from July through September.

Kuo previously said the third-generation AirPods would be released in the first half of 2021, and a series of leaked photos and renders certainly made it seem like a launch was imminent, but this no longer appears to be the case.

The third-generation AirPods are expected to have a similar design as the AirPods Pro, including shorter stems, but without silicone ear tips or active noise cancellation, allowing for a lower price. The second-generation AirPods retail for $159 with a wired charging case or for $199 with a wireless charging case, while the AirPods Pro run $249.

Apple released the second-generation AirPods in March 2019, followed by the AirPods Pro in October 2019.

Update: The full report has been published.

Bang & Olufsen today launched its latest premium over-ear headphones, the Beoplay HX. Housed in a design geared for maximum comfort and durability, the headphones offer listeners adaptive active noise cancelation and up to 35 hours of listening time on a single charge.

Beoplay HX offers a powerful listening experience through two custom designed 40mm speaker drivers with neodymium magnets and bass ports which ensures optimal bass performance. Four dedicated microphones create an impressive call quality by utilizing advanced beamforming technology, while the battery optimization ensures up to 35 hours of play time – the equivalent of five working days of listening experience without having to recharge the battery.

Design-wise, the Bluetooth headphones have been crafted with comfort in mind, and feature a revamped adjustable headband that fits a broad variety of head sizes, along with a center-relief zone for extended wear.

The upper headband is made from cow hide with a smooth grain, while the lower headband is covered in a knitted fabric. Meanwhile, the ear cushions are made from soft lambskin and the inner material consists of memory foam that adapts to the shape of the ear.

The Beoplay HX cost $499 (€499/£449) and come with a global three-year warranty. The headphones are available from today in Black Anthracite, with a sandy white color coming at the end of April, and a brown Timber color arriving in May. See the Bang & Olufsen online store for more.

As it faces a barrage of probes and investigations regarding the App Store and the distribution of apps on its devices, Apple has told Australia's consumer watchdog that developers have "multiple" ways to reach iOS users and claims that they are "far from limited" to simply using the ‌App Store‌.

In a new filing (via ZDnet) responding to concerns from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission that it exploits "alleged market power in its role as a distributor of apps," Apple highlights multiple avenues that developers can take to reach customers.

Specifically, Apple points out that the "whole web" exists as an alternative means of distribution, arguing that the web has become a platform unto itself. Apple supports this claim by noting that iOS devices have "unrestricted and uncontrolled" access to the web, allowing users to download web apps.

Even if a user only owns iOS-based devices, distribution is far from limited to the Apple App Store because developers have multiple alternative channels to reach that user. The whole web is available to them, and iOS devices have unrestricted and uncontrolled access to it. One common approach is for users to purchase and consume digital content or services on a website.

Web browsers are used not only as a distribution portal but also as platforms themselves, hosting "progressive web applications" (PWAs) that eliminate the need to download a developer's app through the App Store (or other means) at all. PWAs are increasingly available for and through mobile-based browsers and devices, including on iOS.

Apple says that the alternative methods of distribution, such as web apps and developers' websites, pose a competitive threat to the ‌App Store‌. Apple goes on to discuss other platforms, such as the Google Play Store, noting that it fights "vigorously" to attract developers to make apps for its platform instead of others.

As explained further below, Apple faces competitive constraints from distribution alternatives within the iOS ecosystem (including developer websites and other outlets through which consumers may obtain third-party apps and use them on their iOS devices) and outside iOS.

Indeed, Apple competes vigorously to attract the best developers because a reduction in the quality of apps, or restricted availability of popular apps in the App Store, would diminish the user experience. Any action undermining the popularity of the App Store — including impeding developers from being successful on the App Store — would be economically irrational, as this would destroy the value of the ecosystem to the detriment of consumers, app developers, and Apple itself.

Apple's new comments are unlikely to sit well with some developers, particularly Epic Games, which is pursuing a massive legal battle against Apple over being an alleged monopoly. Some developers claim that Apple holds a dominant position on its devices because of the ‌App Store‌, and exploits its power to limit innovation and competition.

Just this week, in a separate filing to the ACCC, Apple said it was "surprised" to hear that some developers have concerns about the review process and the guidelines that apps must follow before appearing on the ‌App Store‌. The ACCC launched its ‌App Store‌ investigation last year and is expected to release an interim report on March 31.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Earlier this week, popular VPN provider Proton made headlines by linking Apple's rejection of a security update to its ProtonVPN mobile app with the ongoing political upheaval in Myanmar. In response, Apple today provided MacRumors with a timeline of the events regarding the app update.

In a blog post dated March 23, Proton founder Andy Yen wrote that Apple rejected "important updates" for its VPN app related to security, on the same day that the UN recommended people in Myanmar use ProtonMail, an encrypted email app also developed by Proton. Yen claimed that sign-ups for ProtonVPN "spiked to 250 times the previous average daily rate" in the days following the military coup, making ProtonVPN an essential tool for people on the ground, and accused Apple of putting profits ahead of human rights by blocking the update.

To safely convey such sensitive information to UN investigators and ensure whistleblowers are not attacked or killed, the UN recommended people use ProtonMail or Signal to report evidence of wrongdoing.

ProtonMail is not the only Proton app being used by activists and protesters in Myanmar. The people of Myanmar have also turned to ProtonVPN to get around these internet blocks, seek accurate news to stay safe, and report on the killings.

In the days immediately after the coup, the sign-ups for ProtonVPN in Myanmar spiked to 250 times the previous average daily rate.

Specifically, Apple rejected the update due to an excerpt from the app's description which encouraged users to "bypass geo-restrictions or content limitations." ProtonVPN's App Store description previously read:

Whether it is challenging governments, educating the public, or training journalists, we have a long history of helping bring online freedom to more people around the world.

Proton told MacRumors earlier this week that the rejection "came completely of the blue" on March 17, given that the app had always had the same description, without any issue or rejection from Apple.

Now, Apple has provided MacRumors with a more concise and specific timeline of events. In a statement, Apple says that all apps made by Proton are available and have remained available for download in Myanmar, seemingly rejecting the narrative put forth by Proton that it had deliberately withheld the update due to the situation on the ground.

Apple says it approved ProtonVPN's latest ‌App Store‌ update on March 19 and says, correctly, that Proton published the update to users two days later, on March 21. ProtonVPN, another two days later, published a blog post correlating the rejection to Apple limiting free speech and human rights in Myanmar.

• March 18 - Apple holds up app update, requests a change to the wording in ProtonVPN app's description
• March 19 - Update approved by Apple following requested change in wording
• March 21 - Proton releases update to users on the ‌App Store‌
• March 23 - Proton publishes blog post, correlating update rejection to political situation in Myanmar

Apple's full statement to MacRumors:

All apps made by Proton, including ProtonVPN, have remained available for download in Myanmar. We approved the most recent version of ProtonVPN on March 19. Following this approval, Proton chose to time the release of their update, making it available on March 21, while subsequently publishing their blog post on March 23.

Proton founder Andy Yen told The Verge that due to the emergency in Myanmar, Proton decided to remove the excerpt from the app's description that Apple had objected to, which "finally" allowed the update to be released to users.

Due to the emergency in Myanmar, we removed the language about challenging governments which Apple found objectionable, and the app was finally approved.

Despite the clarification from Apple, what remains Proton's point of contention is the sudden strict enforcement of ‌App Store‌ guidelines. App Store rule 5.4 states that VPN apps must "not violate local laws," and Apple viewed ProtonVPN's description as a violation of the rule, despite Proton's claim that Apple had no issues with it in the past.

It's still unclear what motivated Apple to enforce this particular legal rule more strictly on this occasion, but the timing is certainly unfortunate for the company from a PR perspective, given Myanmar's current political situation.

Meanwhile, Apple continues to push back against the perception that it is abusing its position as platform arbiter, as it faces multiple watchdog investigations and antitrust legal cases brought against it by developers unhappy with its App Store policies.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple Music has partnered with Warner Music and Accenture Interactive's Rothco to launch "Saylists" – playlists of songs selected to help young people with a speech-sound disorder, or SSD.

According to the BBC, the project uses algorithms to find song lyrics in ‌Apple Music‌'s vast library of tracks that repeat challenging sounds, allowing listeners to sing along as a form of speech therapy.

Getting children with SSD to repeat challenging syllables, words, and phrases is considered to be one of the most successful therapeutic strategies, reports Musicweek. The repetition involved can be tedious and draining for children, which is why the "Saylists" are designed to add a fun and engaging element to that experience.

So far, the algorithm has selected 173 tracks that meet its criteria, including Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now," Lizzo's "Good As Hell," and Fatboy Slim's "Right Here, Right Now."

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists chief executive Kamini Gadhok told BBC News: "We're always pleased to hear about innovative approaches that support speech-and-language therapists in their work. As with all new techniques and tools, we recommend effective evaluation and monitoring of outcomes."

The "Saylists" are English-language only and can only be accessed by ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers in the United Kingdom, where one in 12 children experience some form of SSD. Whether the program will be extended to other regions and territories remains unknown.

Update: ‌Apple Music‌ "Saylists" will in fact be available globally, MacRumors can confirm.

Apple today shared a new ad that focuses on the iPhone 12's durability, specifically highlighting the Ceramic Shield display, which is meant to be tougher than standard smartphone glass.

In the ad, a woman's ‌iPhone‌ 12 slips out of her hand and she fumbles with it for several seconds before it flies out of her grip and lands on the ground, coming away unscathed.

"‌iPhone‌ 12 with Ceramic Shield. Tougher than any smartphone glass. Relax, it's the ‌iPhone‌," reads the video's caption.

All of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models feature Ceramic Shield OLED displays, which Apple says offers four times better drop protection than was available with prior ‌iPhone‌ models.

The Ceramic Shield material, which comes from Corning, is made by infusing nano-ceramic crystals into glass to improve durability. Though the Ceramic Shield seems to be better able to withstand drops than prior ‌iPhone‌ display technology, it is still prone to scratching.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance today, Intel's newly appointed CEO Pat Gelsinger said that the ongoing competition between his company and Apple is "fun," while also saying he hopes to make amends with the Cupertino tech giant.

Over the next two years, Apple will transition its Mac lineup away from Intel processors to its own Apple silicon chips. Apple is already well underway on the transition, having released three Mac computers based on its M1 SoC. Intel in response launched a marketing campaign last week to label Macs and ‌M1‌ as inferior to Intel processors.

Despite the barrage of attacks, Gelsinger has indicated that he hopes to have Apple as a future customer. In his interview with Yahoo Finance, Gelsinger said that Apple relies too heavily on its current supplier, TSMC, for manufacturing Apple silicon and that Intel wants to offer its own services instead.

Apple is a customer, and I hope to make them a big foundry customer because today they're wholly dependent on Taiwan Semiconductor. We want to present great options for them to leverage our foundry services, as well, just like we're working with Qualcomm and Microsoft to leverage our foundry. We're going to be delivering great technology, some things that can't be done anywhere else in the world.

Gelsinger attributed the recent tense competition with Apple to the fact that there's still room for innovation in the industry and the bonus that PC demand is the highest it's been in over a decade. Gelsinger went on to say there's "competitive fun going on with Apple and the Mac ecosystem."

So obviously, you've seen some of the competitive energies [in chipmaking] resume because there's a lot of great innovation to be done, and we haven't seen PC demand at this level for a decade and a half. The world needs more of that, and there is competitive fun going on with Apple and the Mac ecosystem.

As part of its anti-Apple silicon marketing campaign, Intel recently hired former "I'm a Mac" actor Justin Long to star in a series of ads comparing ‌M1‌ Macs to laptops powered by Intel processors. Additionally, Intel has turned to Twitter for the campaign and has created its own website to compare ‌M1‌ Macs against PCs.

Starting on Friday, March 26, Disney plans to raise the price of its subscription streaming service, Disney+. Currently priced at $6.99 per month in the U.S., the cost will be going up by $1 to $7.99 per month.

Those who want to lock in the $6.99 per month price point should sign up for a subscription before March 26. The yearly subscription price is also going up, increasing from $69.99 to $79.99.

The Disney+ bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will be increasing in price from $12.99 to $13.99 per month for the ad-supported version or $18.99 to $19.99 per month for the ad-free version.

Disney+ first announced the price increase back in December, and it comes following many successful TV show releases like "The Mandalorian," "WandaVision," and "Falcon and the Winter Soldier," along with movies like "Soul."

As of March, Disney+ has surpassed 100 million subscribers.

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

A job application filled out by former Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 1973 has sold for a whopping $222,400 at auction in London (via iMore).

The rare employment questionnaire went up for sale on February 24 with the auction lasting one month. Jobs filled out the application in hopes of landing a job after dropping out of Reed College, which he attended for around six months. A year later in 1974, Jobs joined Atari as a technician, where he later joined forces with Steve Wozniak to create Apple in 1976.

In the document, which previously sold for $175,000 three years ago, Jobs highlighted "English lit" as his major while also listing "electronics tech" and "design engineer" as special abilities and interests. Jobs also listed his skills in computers and calculators.

The listing for the document says it is in "very good condition," with "light staining and old clear tape to the top edge." To prove it's the real deal written by Steve Jobs himself, it comes with letters and certificates of authenticity.

Sharing Shortcuts via iCloud appears to be severely affected by an issue that is stopping older links from working.

All older ‌iCloud‌ links for sharing Shortcuts appear to no longer be functional, rendering it impossible to add shared Shortcuts from links that were created a while ago. It is not yet clear exactly when the cut-off date for created Shortcuts links is, but broadly, links created within the past week seem to be unaffected and continue to work correctly. Apple's own in-app gallery for downloading Shortcuts is also still working as expected.

When attempting to add a Shortcut from an affected ‌iCloud‌ link, users are now presented with an error message in the Shortcuts app that reads "Shortcut Not Found: The shortcut link may be invalid, or it may have been deleted." The change has since been flagged by users on Reddit and Twitter.

It is as yet unclear if the error is an intentional change on Apple's part, as it could have added an expiry period to the ‌iCloud‌ links to prevent them from working after a certain amount of time, or if it is simply a server-side error that has invalidated all links created prior to an internal change.

Either way, the fact that the majority of links to Shortcuts are now defunct is highly problematic for sites such as MacStories or the subreddit r/shortcuts, which are heavily reliant on ‌iCloud‌ links for sharing previously-created Shortcuts.

Update: Apple has now provided a statement to Federico Viticci of MacStories, explaining that it is aware of the problem and is working to restore the previously shared Shortcuts:

There are also now early indications that the problematic ‌iCloud‌ links to Shortcuts have started to be restored.