This week’s Apple Breakfast column includes all the Apple news that you missed in a quick roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a morning cup of coffee or tea, but it’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too.
The cost of free speech
I’ve been doing my best—and Not always successful—to avoid writing about Elon Musk and Twitter 2.0. Part of the problem is that the “Chief Twit” so transparently wantsHe is often the centre of attention and can end up taking control of any criticisms. My experience has shown that the best way to deal effectively with an attention-seeking child is to ignore him.
It’s difficult, however, for a website to ignore a man who publicly declares war on the company you write about. Musk has taken issue with Apple this week Apps to censorTaken as an example: “secret” 30 percent cutthreat to Removing TwitterHe later admitted that this was incorrect. He claimed that the company had decreased its advertising spend on Twitter, and wondered if this was true. “hate(s) free speech in America.”
There’s a fair bit of nonsense here. You can’t argue that Apple hates free speech because it declined to spend a sufficiently astronomical sum of money placing adverts next to white supremacists. That has nothing to do with free speech—it’s a business decision. It might have been false, however. According to ad analytics.)
Furthermore, and despite apparent assurances that this won’t happen, it wouldn’t be unprecedented for Apple to remove Twitter from the App Store. Parler was kicked because it failed to provide rigorous content moderation. It was allowed back only after promising to improve. Musk and Fortnite were kicked because they tried to avoid revenue cuts from the App Store. reportedlyIt is possible to do the same for Twitter Blue subscriptions. Apple has the right to remove people from its platform just like Musk does. You can cancel your order peevishly a critical blogger’s Tesla order. I sincerely doubt he believes that businesses should be obliged to work with people they don’t like.
Amongst the wrongness, however, there’s some fair criticism. The revenue cut, for example, certainly isn’t a secret, but it may be excessive and is arguably enforced by monopolistic behavior. Apple’s militantly wholesome approach to app censorship is weird and frustrating. Apple arbitrarily holds apps under a different moral standard to other media. “If you want to criticize a religion,” the App Store guidelines famously stated, “write a book.”) And it has plenty of other blind spots when it comes to free speech.
The most alarming example of this was last month. Protesters in China had been using AirDrop for communication, but Apple obliged. A restriction was addedOnly in that country, the ban on sharing files is still in effect. This was likely to be a response to state pressure. Needless to say, Apple didn’t highlight this change in the iOS 16.1.1 release notes, nor did it comment on the matter publicly.
But this isn’t the first time Apple has helped the Chinese state to restrict free speech. The company has pulled many apps from China’s App Store. VPNs, RSS readersThe New York Times, podcast playersThe Dalai Lama and related apps. If there’s one thing Apple does without a fight, it’s bending over backward to limit the speech of citizens to accommodate the wishes of a repressive state.
That’s before we even get to Apple’s own employees, who as recently as last year were facing restrictions on their ability to Talk about pay with your colleagues. Cupertino censorship begins at home
The mistake, perhaps, is to regard these decisions as political–which Musk would like them to be, because that helps him to paint Apple as a Marxist commune of woke snowflakes. But that’s exactly the opposite of the truth. Apple’s position on free speech is purely capitalist. Apple is purging apps from China as China is an important market where iPhones can be seen. It advertises on Twitter because that’s historically been a good place to reach customers and burnish its brand, and it will stop doing so when that’s no longer the case. These are not business decisions. Musk thinks Apple is too political, but when it comes to free speech, I don’t think it’s political enough.
Anyway, I hope that I don’t have to write about Elon again, especially as Tim Cook and he are apparently so similar. Get the best friends now. I feel like I’m in dire need of a shower after reading his Twitter feed. This should never be repeated. Unless you insist… after all, I don’t want anyone to think I hate free speech in America.
Trending: The top stories of the week
Apple may Many boats are missing, but it’s only because they’re Faint and taking on water.
Apple: Sport is serioustvOS requires serious upgrades. Apple TV isn’t ready for prime time.
Android’s SunbirdWe might be able to treat the Green bubble iMessage scourge.
A judge Approved Apple’s massive MacBook keyboard lawsuit payout. Here’s How to Claim your (up to) $395 check.
‘Cultural impact’Apple’s announcement of its new iPhone took center stage 2022 App Store Award winners.
Apple Watch Ultra users now have the ability to get the App Oceanic+For deep-sea diving.
Video of the Week
A “baffling” teardown of iPad 10th-genIt seems that the problem has been solved Apple Pencil mystery. Enjoy:
Rumor mill
“Better speeds, better battery life, less heat.” The upcoming M2 MacBook ProReports say that it will be Worth the wait.
Don’t fret, those leaked M2 Max Geekbench scoresThese are We expect exactly the same.
A A new reportThe iPhone 15 will be a ‘breakthrough’ camera sensor.
Apple’s Future xrOSIt could be the beginning. Whole new ecosystemThere are many devices.
Jason Cross predicts All things Apple December. Is there anything else? holiday surprisesWhat are you waiting for?
Podcast of the Week
This episode is all for Macworld readers and listeners Hot takes. You have thoughts on Apple happenings and we’re going to share and respond to what you wrote.
Each episode of Macworld Podcast is available online Spotify, Soundcloud?, Podcasts appOr Visit our site.
Software updates, bugs & problems
LastPass warns users about a ‘security incident’This could be. Exposed personal data.
Google has shipped over 8th emergency Chrome updateMac: How to Fix a ‘high-severity’ flaw.
Apple has Released iOS 16.1.2With better crash detectionUpgrades to your carrier.
This week iOS 16.2 beta 3You got a second Rapid Security Response update.
And with that, we’re done for this week. If you’d like to get regular roundups, sign up for Our newsletters. You can also subscribe to us Follow us on Twitter for breaking news stories. Stay Appley, see you next Saturday.
