It was reported yesterday that the French government is taking both Apple and Google to court over alleged “abusive trade practices.” Specifically, the government claims that neither Apple nor Google treat their developers fairly, citing factors such as non-negotiable commissions and contract terms. Today, both Google and Apple have commented on the accusations made by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire… As a recap, Le Maire stated that despite how “powerful” Apple and Google are, they “should not be able to treat starts and developers the way they currently do....

Apple TV+ has inked a new first-look deal with Natalie Portman and her production partner Sophie Mas. This multi-year deal will give Apple a first look at television shows that are developed through the MountainA production company founded by Mas and Portman. The deal was first reported by Deadline, which explains that the timing aligns with Apple’s acquisition of the limited series Lady in the Lake last week, which stars Portman....

I wasn’t expecting to still be writing an Apple Watch Diary four years in … As I mentioned last week, I managed to knock my Apple Watch off a bathroom cabinet onto a tiled floor, smashing the screen. The Watch was still fully-functional (well, pings no longer sounded, though Siri still responded), but the damage was pretty bad so wasn’t something I could live with for more than a few days …...

China has officially approved the Apple Watch electrocardiogram (ECG) feature that first arrived with the Series 4 wearable. The regulatory green light means Apple could launch the functionality with a software update for users in the country any time now. Apple announced its ECG feature along with Apple Watch Series 4 back in the fall of 2018 with the capability actually rolling out in the US in December 2018. Apple Watch ECG has slowly continued to roll out to more countries over the last few years with Australia and Vietnam gaining it with watchOS 7....

We expect Apple to announce a new video service in two parts on Monday. Half will contain original TV shows with major Hollywood stars produced with Apple’s money that will likely debut this fall. The other half of the video service will rely on selling subscriptions for competing video services like HBO through the TV app. Days before Apple’s big ‘It’s Showtime’ announcements, Recode has new behind-the-curtain details of what to expect....

We love the smell of freshly fried rumor in the morning — particularly the day before an Apple special event. This morning’s rumor takes us back, right back to last week’s claims of Apple’s plans for streaming video services, hinted at by a question held inside an iTunes customer survey. Now we already know what to expect tomorrow: iPod touch update Apple TV update potentially MacBook air update (as briefly rumored) iTunes revision of some kind iPod nano, shuffle and classic updates — or deletions iPad OS 4 preview is likely...

Two pieces of notable news for Apple TV+ today include the service landing Bruce Springsteen’s documentary as an exclusive that will debut in late October as well as an update on The Morning Show season 2. First up, Bruce Springsteen’s document, Letter to You will be arriving exclusively on Apple TV+. Beyond just an intimate look behind the scenes, it marks Springsteen and The E Street Band recording live for the first time in 35 years....

One of the more anticipated updates to come to Apple TV with tvOS 14 is YouTube 4K support. However, when tvOS launched in September, the feature was missing. Now alongside YouTube picture-in-picture support on the web coming back to iPhone with iOS 14.0.1, YouTube 4K support on Apple TV is rolling out to users but there are some notable limits. Reported by Flatpanels HD, users on Reddit have shared that they are starting to see the option to watch 4K YouTube videos on Apple TV 4K....

The “iPhone SE” is now official as Apple today unveiled the device on stage at its ‘Let us loop you in’ press event in Cupertino. The new iPhone SE’s major upgrades include Apple’s A9 chip and M9 motion coprocessor, since the design is mostly identical to the iPhone 5s apart from the new rose gold color as expected. Apple noted that the upgraded internals give the iPhone SE the same graphics and processing performance as the iPhone 6S....

Earlier this month, a study from the Heart Rhythm Journal indicated that the iPhone 12’s new MagSafe technology can deactivate pacemakers in certain situations. Apple has responded to these claims by updating a support document on its website with new advice for iPhone 12 users with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators. It continues to emphasize, however, that the iPhone 12 does not “pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than prior iPhone models....

Apple routinely donates to and works with nonprofits such as Conservation International as part of its climate change and environmental work. This year, Apple is working with Conservation International to restore degraded grasslands of the Chyulu Hills in Kenya. As reported by Fast Company, Apple is donating to Conservation International’s restoration efforts. Lisa Jackson, Apple’s VP of environment, policy, and social initiatives, said the work being done by Conservation International can help in several ways:...

As we approach “Force Friday II” this week, Apple is ramping up its commitment to the celebration. On its website, Apple has outlined a handful of different Star Wars-themed events it will be hosting for free in its retail stores in the coming week… Apple will host these events from Friday, September 1st through Saturday, September 9th in the following countries: Headlining the events and being offered at most retail stores in participating countries is a session dedicated to helping attendees build their own Star Wars trailer with an iPad and iMovie:...

Apple has just announced an update to it’s Mac mini desktop PC that features all-new internals and a lower starting price. The CPU has been bumped to the current fourth-generation of Intel’s Core processors paired with Intel Iris and HD Graphics 5000 graphics processors. It now sports PCIe-based flash storage, though the exact amount of storage wasn’t mentioned. The computer’s connectivity has also gotten a bump with 802.11ac Wi-Fi and the addition of two Thunderbolt 2 i/o ports....

Apple has released the latest version of macOS High Sierra through the Mac App Store. macOS 10.13.2 “improves the stability, compatibility and security” of Macs, and specifically includes improvements to third party USB audio devices, VoiceOver and Preview, and Braille displays and Mail. Full release notes: macOS 10.13.2 Update The macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 update improves the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac, and is recommended for all users. This update:...

The trial to finalize the damages owed by Samsung to Apple for infringing five of its patents is set to rest on the meaning of a three-word phrase. If the court accepts Apple’s definition, high damages are likely to be awarded. If it instead opts for Samsung’s definition, a far lower sum is likely to be awarded … Those three words are: ‘article of manufacture.’ It’s already been ruled that Samsung infringed five of Apple’s patents....

What are thick client applications? A thick client, also known as Fat Client is a client in client–server architecture or network and typically provides rich functionality, independent of the server. In these types of applications, the major processing is done at the client side and involves only aperiodic connection to the server. Thick client vs thin client applications The thick clients are heavy applications which normally involve the installation of application on the client side (user computer)....

A review of job ads placed by Apple suppliers in China found that over a hundred ads across more than 30 companies were illegally discriminating against Muslim Uyghurs. Other forms of discrimination found in ads that explicitly stated that the work was for Apple included age limits and bans on dyed hair and tattoos … The Information reports. To ensure that only ads relating to Apple work were included in its analysis, The Information only counted those where the Cupertino company was explicitly mentioned, or where the plant in question produced Apple products....

Apple announced that it will announce the company’s 2012 first-quarter financial results on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The call will cover financial information from the past quarter, a quarter in which we saw the the release of the widely popular iPhone 4S in addition to Apple’s new softwares iCloud and iOS 5. Breakthrough information in regards to Apple’s future product plans rarely slips out, but the results should still be interesting....

iFixit didn’t waste any time on a teardown of the iPhone 7 Plus, and has now done the same with the new Apple Watch Series 2. The main discovery is a much higher-capacity battery. The 273mAh battery offers almost a third more capacity than the 205mAh one in the first-gen Watch. However, all that extra power doesn’t extend the battery-life of the device – it’s rated for the same 18 hours as the original – it instead powers the built-in GPS and much brighter screen....

All of today’s best deals are headlined by Apple Watch Series 6 falling to all-time lows just in time for watchOS 8 debut. That’s alongside a $469 discount on the latest Intel MacBook Air and the first price cut of the year on ecobee’s SmartThermostat at $199. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break. Upgrade to Apple Watch Series 6 ahead of watchOS 8 Apple Watch Series 6 arrives as the brand’s flagship wearable, delivering all of the usual fitness tracking features alongside an integrated blood/oxygen sensor....