Apple has agreed to pay out $25 million to settle a class action lawsuit over its Family Sharing feature, which lets users and up to five of their family members share access to apps, music, movies, TV shows and books that they purchase. The lawsuit, which was first filed in 2019, alleged that “Apple misrepresented the ability to use its Family Sharing feature to share subscriptions to apps.”
The lawsuit says that Apple denies that it made any misleading misrepresentations and “denies all allegations of wrongdoing.” The settlement agreement notes that “Apple has concluded that continuing to defend this Action would be burdensome and expensive. Apple enters into this Agreement without in any way acknowledging any fault, liability, or wrongdoing of any kind.”
The tech giant did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Court documents from the lawsuit allege that Apple advertised Family Sharing as an option on apps that did not support Family Sharing.
“The vast majority of subscription-based Apps, which is a growing percentage of Apple Apps, cannot be shared with designated family members,” the court document reads. “They are available only to the individual user who downloads the App and sets up a subscription. All or virtually all of these Apps, however, included the statement that they support Family Sharing on their landing pages through January 30, 2019.”
The lawsuit alleges that Apple was aware that the subscription-based apps did not support Family Sharing, but still placed an ad for Family Sharing on them. The court document goes on to note that “millions of consumers have downloaded subscription-based Apps believing that they are available for Family Sharing, only to learn after payment has been made that they are not so available.”
U.S. residents who were enrolled in a Family Sharing group with at least one other person between June 21, 2015 and January 30, 2019 and purchased a subscription to an app from the App Store during that time may be eligible for a payment. Eligible class members will be receiving an email this week.
Each class member that files a claim is eligible to receive $30, but this may vary depending on how many people file claims. However, the payment will not exceed $50 for each class member, and $10 million from the settlement will go toward attorney fees.
Eligible class members have until March 1, 2024 to file a claim. A final approval hearing is scheduled for April 2, 2024.
Updated Dec 14, 2023, 9:22 am EST / Original Dec 14, 2023, 8:09 am EST
Apple shares have set an all-time high and the stock is hovering just below $200. There are three reasons to think Apple can break through the barrier.
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The European Union is about to hit Apple Inc. AAPL, +0.75%
with a ban on App Store rules that govern music-streaming rivals like Spotify Technology SPOT, -0.93%
and a potential hefty fine in the regulatory body’s latest bid to thwart the power and reach of Big Tech. A Bloomberg report Wednesday said the EU’s imminent antitrust order would prohibit Apple’s practice of blocking music services from pushing their users away from the App Store to alternative subscription options. Regulators are also mulling a fine of up to 10% of Apple’s annual sales. Apple was not immediately available to comment on the report.
Temu, the Chinese e-commerce company whose app is now attracting longer engagement times than Amazon, is Apple’s most downloaded free app in the U.S. for 2023. The Cupertino-based tech giant today released an App Store feature that showcases the top iPhone apps of the year, free and paid, as measured by app installs — its proxy for overall popularity. This year, apps from Chinese-based companies have taken over spots previously held by U.S. tech giants like Meta and Google, as CapCut and TikTok, which hail from Beijing-based ByteDance, came in at No. 3 and No. 5, respectively.
Meta, which last year held the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 9 spots with WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, respectively, showed up in the top 10 this year with a slightly different mix. Gone from the charts is Facebook, while Meta’s new app Instagram Threads was the No. 3 app by U.S. downloads. Instagram and WhatsApp followed at No. 6 and No. 9, slipping in position from their ranking last year.
Google, meanwhile, had dominated last year’s list with the No. 2 app YouTube, just behind TikTok, as well as No. 5 Google Maps, No. 6 Google Search and No. 7 Gmail. In 2023, however, Google’s only two apps in the top 10 by downloads included No. 7 Google Search and No. 8 YouTube, both also slipping in ranking from last year.
The shift in downloads could represent that U.S. tech giants are nearly at a market saturation point, where their apps aren’t as in demand as they were in previous years because many already have them installed. It also points to the growing demand for apps from Chinese firms, like ByteDance, which are attracting younger users’ attention along with government scrutiny, with TikTok being banned from a number ofgovernment devices over concerns about its China ties. Montana also attempted to ban TikTok in its state, but that ruling was put on hold by the courts for the time being as TikTok’s lawsuit progresses.
The negative attention TikTok has received in the year may account for its slip from being the No. 1 app last year to now the No. 5 app. But U.S. consumers haven’t sworn off Chinese apps by the looks of things, given Temu’s No. 1 position. Data from Apptopia, reported by Bloomberg, noted that consumers were spending 18 minutes per day in Temu’s app, compared with 10 minutes in Amazon. Younger users spent even higher amounts of time, at 19 minutes per day, on average. While Temu attracts users with in-app games, its real draw may be its bargain prices — which have more of an appeal during an economic downturn.
The only other top app in the list not from Meta, Google, or a Chinese firm was Max (formerly HBO Max), which showed up as the No. 3 app by downloads in the U.S.
The top paid apps list showcases a different market, more often of smaller developers or those building useful productivity tools, creative apps, or utilities that users are willing to pay for. Here, the top 10 included (in order): Shadowrocket, HotSchedules, Procreate Pocket, The Wonder Weeks, 75 Hard, Autosleep Track Sleep on Watch, Goblin Tools, TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome, SkyView, and AnkiMobile Flashcards.
The top free games, meanwhile, included several of last year’s winners, like Roblox, Call of Duty: Mobile, Subway Surfers, and Parking Jam 3D, as well as some new additions. This list’s No.1 app was MONOPOLY GO!, followed by Roblox (up from No. last year), Royal Match, Subway Surfers (down from No. 2 last year), Gardenscapes, Call of Duty: Mobile (up from No. 8 last year), Block Blast!, Makeover Studio: Makeup Games, Parking Jam 3D (ranked the same as last year), and Survivor!.io.
The top paid games in the U.S. were led by Microsoft-owned Minecraft, and also included Heads Up!, Geometry Dash, Bloons TD 6, MONOPOLY, Papa’s Freezeria To Go!, Plague Inc., Red’s First Flight, Five Nights at Freddy’s (which became a movie this year, too), and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Apple’s feature also includes separate lists of the top iPad apps and games, both free and paid, for the year, as well as top Apple Arcade games. The latter offers the only glimpse into Apple’s subscription gaming store, which is otherwise a black box as it doesn’t feature a Top Charts section like the larger App Store does.
There’s some overlap in these lists, though streaming apps make a better showing among the free iPad apps. That list includes (in order) Max, YouTube, and Netflix in the top 3 spots and Disney+, Prime Video, and Peacock at No. 5, 8, and 10, respectively. Top iPad games also include more kid-friendly titles, like Toca Life: Hospital (No. 5) and Teach Your Monster to Read (No. 7).
There are officially two weeks left until Christmas Day…and with Hanukkah underway already, you may be scrambling for that last-minute perfect gift. It’s not always easy, especially when you’re shopping for the chronically online person whose always buying themselves a “little treat”, you often wonder: “What do I get the person who has it all?”
I know my friends have this issue when shopping for me because I am not shy about treating myself. Being a material girl in a material world also means that I know the perfect gift for everyone in your life. If you’re waiting for your next paycheck to do some final holiday shopping this year, and are in need of some brilliant inspo- you’ve come to the right place.
Here are our picks for our 2023 holiday gift guide!
Apple rolled out iOS 17.2 today, giving iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users the ability to record spatial videos. The new feature lets users film in three dimensions and experience their favorite memories and special moments on Apple Vision Pro, the upcoming mixed-reality headset.
In order to create a three-dimensional video, Apple explains that the iPhone uses both the main and ultrawide cameras when recording. This is then saved as a single file within a new album in the Photos app titled “Spatial.” The videos will also sync across devices with iCloud. Spatial videos are captured in 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second.
Spatial video recording can be enabled in Settings by toggling on “Spatial Video for Apple Vision Pro” in the Camera section under Formats. Apple suggests holding the iPhone in landscape orientation for optimal results.
Spatial videos can be viewed on all iPhones and other devices; however, they’ll appear as regular, 2D videos.
Image Credits: Apple
The new feature allows users to record videos that Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, describes as “magical” and “setting a new bar for what’s possible.” While that’s marketing speak, it’s a differentiator for Apple’s high-end iPhone, and will deepen users’ connections with Apple’s latest product, the AR/VR headset, launching next year.
“iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature the most powerful camera systems we’ve ever developed, including the best video quality in any smartphone. And now, we’re setting a new bar for what’s possible, enabling users to record special moments just as they happened,” Joswiak said in a statement.
Apple Inc. on Saturday said it shut down third-party applications that enabled Android devices to use the iMessage service to communicate with iPhone users.
The iPhone maker said in a statement it “took steps to protect our users by blocking techniques that exploit fake credentials in order to gain access to iMessage.” It added that “these techniques posed significant risks to user security and privacy, including the potential for metadata exposure and enabling unwanted messages, spam, and phishing attacks.”
The company said it would continue to make changes in the future to protect its users. The announcement comes a day after Beeper Mini, the latest app to enable iMessage on Android devices, stopped working. Apple’s iMessage offers encrypted messaging between iPhones, Macs, iPads and other devices made by the company, and it has resisted calls for nearly a decade to expand the service to Android.
Some users have long argued that the lack of an iMessage app for Android makes messaging between the two platforms less secure. Apple recently said it would support RCS, or rich communication services, later next year. That’s a replacement for the standard SMS service that will enable an improved texting experience between platforms.
Beeper was founded by Eric Migicovsky, who is known for creating the Pebble smartwatch in the years before the Apple Watch and for being part of Y Combinator, the tech industry’s most prestigious business incubator.
In an interview, Migicovsky said his new company continues to work on Beeper Mini and is “feeling good” about again bypassing Apple’s restrictions. He said that Beeper Cloud — a variant of Beeper Mini — is still working. Beeper Mini, he says, is more secure and connects directly to Apple services, while Beeper Cloud uses third-party servers.
“The passion and energy people had this week is indicative of the importance of what we’re doing,” Migicovsky said. He denied that Beeper Mini creates security issues for users, saying his app enables encrypted messaging between Android and iOS so less security is a false notion.
Migicovsky, who said he hasn’t heard from Apple about his service, was selling Beeper Mini for a $1.99 per month subscription after a one week free trial. Apple doesn’t charge a subscription to use iMessage on its devices.
Apple said it can’t verify that messages sent through unauthorized systems that masquerade the use of Apple credentials are actually end-to-end encrypted. Other services, including one called Sunbird, have previously tried to make iMessage work on Android. Those efforts were also shuttered by Apple.
Despite adding support for RCS next year, Apple executives have publicly and privately shot down the idea of making it easier for iOS and Android users to communicate. Last year, Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook suggested that a user who wanted to more easily message with his mother on Android buy her an iPhone.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s software engineering chief, said in an email to fellow executives several years ago that “iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove an obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones.”
The company’s operating systems will further open up next year in the European Union with the Digital Markets Act, which will require Apple to allow third-party app stores in the region.
Tang Tan, the Apple Inc. executive who headed product design for the iPhone and Apple Watch, is leaving amid a shake-up of the division responsible for the company’s most critical product lines, according to a Bloomberg report.
Tan reports to John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering, and the division is reshuffling duties to handle the transition.
Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Steve Hotelling, who worked on key technologies like the iPhone’s multitouch screen, Touch ID, and Face ID, is retiring from Apple.
Shares of Apple AAPL, +0.74%
are up 0.7% in trading Friday. Apple had no comment on the departures.
Smartphone sales will mount a comeback starting in 2024, defying growing warnings of a prolonged slump across the mobile sector, according to separate projections by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley reviewed by TechCrunch.
Morgan Stanley’s report predicts global smartphone shipments will rebound by nearly 4% in 2024 and by 4.4% in 2025, shrugging off comparisons to the PC industry’s multi-year downdrafts.
Driving the smartphone turnaround will be new on-device AI capabilities unlocking fresh demand, Morgan Stanley says. The investment bank raised its projections for 2025 worldwide phone volumes, citing the sizable potential of so-called edge AI to enable advances from enhanced photography to speech recognition while protecting user privacy.
Smartphone makers including Apple, Vivo, Xiaomi and Samsung have already started to express their bullishness on AI. Vivo’s new X100 with on-device AI saw explosive sales, while Xiaomi touted 6x usual volume for its AI-packed flagship. Samsung plans built-in generative AI for 2024 models, aiming to offer ChatGPT-style features processed directly on phones, not the cloud.
“The largest pushback is that there is no visibility on when the ‘killer app’ will be developed. If we take desktop internet and mobile internet as examples, the emergence of a new killer app usually comes 1-2 years after the initial breakthrough,” Morgan Stanley wrote in a report this week.
“While there is no guarantee that the killer app in Edge AI will follow the same timetable, the emergence of Microsoft’s CoPilot as the potential PC AI killer app could set the early foundation for popularizing AI at the edge (implying AI features/function on the device, not relying on cloud), and help to give investors confidence that a similar, but different, killer app for the smartphone will also emerge.”
Smartphone projection by Morgan Stanley. India is the only market slated for a double digit growth. (Chart and data: Morgan Stanley)
Goldman Sachs estimates that global smartphone volumes in 2023 will end at a 5% y-o-y dip to 1.148 billion units, down from an estimated 1.206 billion phones shipped last year. The 2023 decline would mark a second straight annual drop following much steeper falls in 2022.
But Goldman said momentum will rebuild in 2024 and 2025, fueled by new product launches. It forecasts worldwide smartphone shipments rising 3% to 1.186 billion in 2024, then climbing another 5% to 1.209 billion in 2025.
“With the holiday season and continuous restocking, along with better guidance from the supply chain on a market recovery, we revised up 2023-25E smartphone shipments; however, we continue to expect low single digit growth in 2024-25E, and global smartphone shipment to gradually get back to the 2022A level by 2025E,” Goldman Sachs analysts wrote.
The brightening mobile outlook diverges from consensus views that maturing smartphones face similar inertia and substitution threats as personal computers over the last decade. But Morgan Stanley said replacement cycles and use cases still favor mobile phones.
“Tablets and smartphones have been taking share from PCs since 2011. In other words, PC shipment declines have been caused by the emergence of new devices, not the disappearance of demand in general. We do not see smartphones facing a similar substitution risk from technologies like AR/VR anytime soon. Smartphone replacement cycles are shorter because they are used more frequently and have smaller batteries. Use cases for smartphones are still expanding, with Edge AI set to unlock a new wave of innovation.”
Goldman Sachs’ projections for top smartphone vendors. (Chart and data: Goldman Sachs)
Apple and Goldman Sachs are parting ways on the Apple Card and the tech giant will be in the market for a new issuer — and whether that’s a traditional financial institution or card-issuing fintech is the question now. The companies have been in cahoots on the Apple Card since 2019, but losses in Goldman’s […]
Who knew that crescent rolls, cinnamon sugar apples, brown sugar, butter and sprite could make the best easy apple dumplings with Sprite ever!
Ditch your old apple dumplings recipe. Do it. Ditch it. These easy apple dumplings have a couple of very minor changes that make a HUGE difference and I’m totally not kidding. I’ll never make another apple dumplings recipe again.
This recipe reminds me so much of my grandma’s apple rolls recipe just because that sugar liquid is so deceiving. You pour it all around the rolls and it almost puts you into a panic attack seeing all of that liquid around the dough, like is this really going to work?! Are they going to be a soggy mess?!
And then those golden, crisp, pillows of dough come out and you’re a real life hero to the whole family.
Creating This Apple Dumpling Recipe
This is seriously the craziest apple dessert recipe. Most apple desserts seem to be inspired largely from the way apple pie is made. Think about it: apple crisp, apple pull-apart bread, and apple pie scones are all takes on the classic apple pie.
This apple dumpling recipe is similar, but as I’ve been making recipes from others over the years I felt like there was always something missing. Sure, it is a good recipe and one that your guests will love you for, but couldn’t it be taken up a notch without changing the whole recipe?
We started experimenting, a lot. Too much. I could hardly stand to look at another apple dumpling recipe, let alone the apple dumpling itself.
And then it hit me, when you’re trying to do something awesome and it’s not coming together, go back to the original recipe.
So I did. And do you know what I discovered? The apples were not like an apple pie, they were completely plain. No, no, no! Apples need a little cinnamon sugar action to really drive home that fall smell and flavor!
Well don’t stop there, I thought. We need a little cinnamon action in the butter mixture as well. Too many recipes called for just butter and brown sugar. No. We need more. We added vanilla and cinnamon. Let’s get this party started!
Apple Dumplings with Sprite?
Yes, you read right, we want to use a lemon lime soda around the dumplings, but never over the dumplings. If you pour the lemon lime soda over the dumplings, the brown sugar butter sauce won’t have a chance to crisp up the topping and we aren’t looking for soggy dumplings.
But then I changed that too.
Everyone said to use 1 1/2 cups of Sprite with the apple dumplings, but I just found that to be too much. We lowered it to 1 cup so the Sprite for sure wouldn’t go over the top but you’d still end up with a caramel sauce underneath.
Apple Dumplings Ingredients
For these easy apple dumplings, you’ll need just a handful of ingredients. To make this apple dessert, we used:
Salted Butter: if you only have unsalted, add a half teaspoon of salt to the melted butter
Apples: peel, core and slice them thinly
Cinnamon Sugar: adds flavor to the apples
Flour: just regular all-purpose flour works great, it helps thicken the apple filling
Pre-made Crescent Roll Dough: Pillsbury makes a great dough.
Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and rich flavor
Cinnamon: adds warmth, flavor, and just belongs with apples
Vanilla Extract: adds flavor
Sprite: trust me on this one, it just adds something magical!
Making crescent rolls from scratch is a bit of a process compared to just buying them, but you also know that we ADORE homemade bread. If you’d like to crescent rolls from scratch, then use this recipe for Homemade Crescent Rolls from Brown Eyed Baker.
What Are the Best Apples for Apple Dumplings?
You can use pretty much any cooking apple you’d like in this apple dumpling recipe. Personally, we prefer using either Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, but it’s really just a matter of preference. Granny Smith apples are more tart than Honeycrisp, and both release a minimal amount of juice and pack in lots of fresh apple flavor.
Is There a Sprite Substitute I Can Use?
Everyone always asks about the soda used for apple dumplings. If you don’t have any Sprite on hand, you can use other sodas as well. The three sodas you can use to make homemade apple dumplings include:
The most important thing here is no diet sodas!
How to Make Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings
Apple dumplings with Sprite are much easier to make than you’d think! Here’s the basic rundown of how to make apple dumplings at home:
Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples.
Toss the sliced apples with the cinnamon sugar and flour.
Roll the cinnamon sugar apples inside the crescent rolls and place into a buttered 9×13-inch pan.
Top the dumplings with a mixture of melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Pour the Sprite in between and around the dumplings (not directly on top of them!).
Bake until golden brown.
Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and serve.
The complete instructions for making this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to Reheat Apple Dumplings
To reheat apple dumplings, stick them in a pan with tinfoil over the top and place in a preheated 350ºF oven for 10 minutes. Or you can use the microwave for about 15 seconds.
How Long Are Apple Dumplings Good For?
Apple dumplings can be kept for up to two days at room temperature. You’ll want to cover them lightly and refrigerate for up to an additional 2-3 days.
Can You Make Apple Dumplings Ahead of Time?
You can make apple dumplings up to a day ahead of time. Once the dumplings have been prepped, place them on wax paper and refrigerate until ready to bake. Make sure to remove them from the wax paper prior to baking them, as wax paper isn’t oven-safe.
Can You Freeze Apple Dumplings?
Once baked, place the apple dumplings on a sheet pan and freeze for one hour. After an hour, place the dumplings in a seal-able freezer bag and freeze for up to six months. (Note that if you freeze the dumplings in a freezer bag right away, they’ll get squished and won’t hold their shape).
Tips for Making Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings
When prepping the apples, it’s important that you slice them quite thinly. If the apple slices are too thick, they won’t bake fully in the oven and your dumplings won’t have that classic apple pie-esque filling. Think thin slices and not wedges.
You’re welcome to play around with the amount of spices in this easy apple dumpling recipe. If you prefer your dumplings more cinnamon-y, add more cinnamon. You might even be able to add other warming spices like pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, or nutmeg. If you try out a different spice combination, leave us a comment letting us know how you like it!
Finally, we highly suggest eating these apple dumplings with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. The warm dumplings paired with the creamy, cold ice cream is an unbeatable combo! If you have extra time on your hands, you could even whip up a batch of homemade caramel sauce to drizzle over these dumplings.
Everyone has favorite apple desserts, and now you have another one to add to your list! These apple dumplings with Sprite are so easy and delicious!
More Easy Apple Desserts:
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Servings: 16
Prep Time: 10 minutesmins
Cook Time: 30 minutesmins
Total Time: 40 minutesmins
Description
Who knew that crescent rolls, cinnamon sugar apples, brown sugar butter and sprite could make the best easy apple dumplings with sprite ever!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Preheat the oven at 350 F.
Take one stick of the butter, and grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
2 Sticks Butter
Place remaining butter and the other stick of butter in a microwave safe bowl.
2 Sticks Butter
Peel and core apples, then cut apples into 16 thin slices.
2 Apples
Toss the apples in a large bowl with the cinnamon sugar and flour.
Pour the soda in the middle and along the edges of a pan(not over the rolls!!)
1 Cup Soda Pop
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until they become golden brown.
Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or alone.
*When prepping the apples, it’s important that you slice them quite thinly. If the apple slices are too thick, they won’t bake fully in the oven and your dumplings won’t have that classic apple pie-esque filling. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Via WSJ, Apple plans to cut ties from Goldman Sachs as the banking institution behind their popular Apple Card credit card and Apple high yield savings account. The company sent a proposal to complete the exit within the next 12-15 months. Apple will be working to find a new bank backer for these products.
(Bloomberg) — Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which has been trying to jettison its struggling credit card business, now has a potential way out of its partnership with Apple Inc.
Most Read from Bloomberg
The iPhone maker, which offers a credit card and savings account with Goldman, recently sent a term sheet to the financial giant that would be a first step toward severing the contract, according to a person familiar with the matter. The process could still take multiple years, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. The partnership had been slated to last at least another five years.
Goldman Sachs has been pulling back from a foray into consumer lending after it proved costlier than expected. The New York-based company has said it pushed too quickly into the effort, contributing to missteps. Goldman also is expected to scrap a credit card partnership with General Motors Co.
For Apple, the partnership was part of a broader push into financial offerings. The company is looking to generate more revenue from services as sales of its hardware products slow. Apple got 22% of its sales from that category last year, up from less than 10% a decade ago.
The iPhone maker remains committed to its Apple Card credit card and savings account and doesn’t plan to discontinue the products — whether or not Goldman is involved — the person familiar with the situation said. Apple hasn’t gotten to the point of talking to firms that could replace Goldman, according to the person.
In a statement, Apple said it was “focused on providing an incredible experience for our customers to help them lead healthier financial lives.”
“The award-winning Apple Card has seen a great reception from consumers, and we will continue to innovate and deliver the best tools and services for them,” the Cupertino, California-based company said in the statement.
Goldman Sachs has been exploring options to get out of its credit card tie-ups for much of this year, people with knowledge of the matter have previously said. Apple’s proposal would give the company a way to do that, but it’s not yet a done deal, according to one of the people.
Goldman Sachs declined to comment. The Wall Street Journal previously reported on the proposal Apple sent to Goldman, saying it could take effect within approximately 12 to 15 months.
Goldman Sachs has held talks with American Express Co. to take over the Apple credit card and other services, but that company expressed concerns about loss rates, the Journal said. Synchrony Financial also broached the idea of taking over the credit card program, according to the newspaper.
Despite the struggles, Apple and Goldman Sachs just introduced a long-promised high-yield savings account in April. And the companies touted in August that the program had reached $10 billion in US deposits.
The savings account drew complaints from some users, who weren’t able to easily withdraw cash. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said in a June interview that the problem was caused by a security system designed to prevent fraud.
—With assistance from Sridhar Natarajan and Mark Gurman.
Across the U.S., law enforcement agencies are warning about a new feature on the iPhone that may have privacy and security concerns. In the latest operating system update, iOS 17 introduces the feature “NameDrop.” This extension of the AirDrop feature lets users easily share their contact information with nearby iPhones and Apple Watches.
NameDrop allows users to exchange contact information by bringing their iPhone devices together. According to security experts and the law, the concern is that the feature’s default setting is in the “on” position once users download the update to their phones. Many agencies have posted warnings on Facebook over the weekend urging parents to turn off the feature on their child’s iPhone.
The NameDrop feature requires consent to receive and share the contact information, allowing the user to refuse a request. Two iPhone users can transmit, share, or receive a contact card with their email and phone number by holding the top ends of their smartphones near one another.
Apple says there are safeguards for iPhone’s NameDrop feature
Apple says that its safeguards are in place, making the accidental sharing of information with a random stranger passing by very low because the phones must be held fairly close together to have the feature engage. The two iPhones also have to remain together while sharing.
To instigate a watch-to-watch transfer, you’ll need to open Contacts and tap on your image. Choose Share and hold your watches close together.
According to Wired, the information merely gives Apple’s iOS NameDrop a little viral moment. A great TikTok vid showing strangers at the gym and on a bus stealing all your information — and the video had 2 million views. Wired says that this is impossible — and that you shouldn’t worry about NameDrop being some colossal security risk.
Here’s how NameDrop works:
Remember that all contact sharing will be canceled if the two smartphones are moved apart at any time during the process or if you decide to lock your iPhone using the power button.
Yes, NameCrop is auto-enabled when you update to iOS 17, but consent is required throughout the dropping process. No one walking down the street can bump into you and walk away with any of your information.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
These are the best deals around. If you’re in need of new headphones, lose them constantly (like me), or just want an upgrade on your headphones, here are the best Airpods Cyber Monday deals so you can listen on the go.
There are discounts on several different models, like the AirPods Max (down to $450 at Amazon
), AirPods Pro 2nd Generation ($200 at Amazon
, Target and Walmart) AirPods 2nd Generation ($79 at both Amazon
, Target and Walmart). They all have irresistible deals right now; in fact, most of them have price tags that are some of the lowest we’ve ever seen them at. We track Apple deals pretty closely, and it’s rare that discounts exceed 15 percent.
The AirPods (2nd Generation)
rarely drop below $99 and have an average price of $105.26, making their current $89 tag definitely worth a look. The AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
have an average price of $222.25 and their lowest price is $209 right now. And as for the AirPods Max
, they cost $483.50 on average, so we’d say their current price tag of $450 is a pretty good deal.
If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your current earbuds, or have been contemplating when would be the best time to invest in a more luxe pair, now’s the time. Since these deals won’t last forever, you’re going to want to pounce. Below, find three AirPod iterations that are marked down at Amazon, Target and Walmart right now.
At A Glance: Apple AirPods Cyber Monday Deals
Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Walmart is a STYLECASTER sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
Apple AirPods with Charging Case (2nd Generation)
On Sale 38% off
If you want to go with the classic AirPods and don’t mind the sound quality, these AirPod 2nd Generation are the perfect fit for you. The price is at an all-time low at $79.99 and will make you strut with your favorite music ringing in your ears.
Apple AirPods Pro
Best Buy
Apple AirPods Pro
On Sale 24% off
Listen to your favorite Spotify playlist while you’re walking to work, minus all of the honking cars and people talking to each other with the AirPods Pro
. These earbuds feature active noise cancellation, but also transparency mode, so you really get the best of both worlds. Don’t want to hear gym noises at the gym? No problem, focus with noise cancellation on. The AirPods Pro additionally comes with three different sizes of silicone tips, meaning you can pick the one that best fits your ears to avoid them falling out all the time. Make sure to grab your pair for 20 percent off while you can.
Photo: Apple.
AirPods Max
On Sale 18% off
If you’ve been wanting to try headphones instead of earbuds, go with the AirPods Max
. They’re the newest version of AirPods that come in five sleek colorways. They feature active noise cancellation so you can type away without getting distracted by outside chatter, though they also have transparency mode, which is where you can still hear what’s going on around you. If you’ve had trouble with classic AirPods slipping out of your ears or want a fashionable way to show you’re a musichead, these headphones are the perfect solution for you. Sporting memory foam ear cushions, we have a feeling you won’t ever want to take them off.
Apple’s iPhone’s new iOS 17 operating system includes a feature called “NameDrop” that is activated by default on the phones of users who update their software, prompting authorities to share information on how to turn it off.
The feature allows iPhone owners to share their contact information with other devices, like iPhones and watches, that they come in to close contact with, as well as receive contacts from other people.
How does the NameDrop feature work?
All one has to due is hold their phone’s screen close to the top of another person’s iPhone, which will cause both devices to vibrate. Once they link, a NameDrop prompt will appear on both phone screens, allowing users to choose if they want to share and receive contact cards.
iPhone users can select what contact information, such as phone numbers and email addresses, they wish to share, according to Apple’s website.
Why are authorities warning iPhone users about NameDrop?
It’s handy for quickly sharing information without having to send a text or manually share a contact card. But authorities are warning that it could give bad actors easy access to the personal information of unsuspecting victims.
“This feature could allow the sharing of your contact info just by bringing your phones close together,” the department wrote in a Facebook post. “Don’t forget to change these settings after the update on your children’s phones, also, to help keep them safe as well.”
Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News streaming to discuss her reporting.
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On November 27th only, Citi is offering 20% off when you redeem Citi ThankYou points for the following gift cards.
AMC
Apple
Bath & Body
Chili’s
Fandango
Fun & Fabulous
H&M
Hulu
Red Robin
SpaFinder
Virgin Experience Gifts
Vudu
Our Verdict
Some people have the option to cashout Citi TYP at 1¢, if you’re going to do that then this is better value. We saw 15% a few days ago, and readers wisely advised us to wait until Cyber Monday for 20%. It’s not all of the same brands, but some are the same. Personally, I’ll buy some Apple gift cards at 20% off.
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
Black Friday is finally here, and if you have any Apple products on your gifting list this season, it’s time to listen up. Some of the best deals on Apple devices can be found right here, and like any savvy entrepreneur, you can check off a lot of individuals on your list while saving big if you act fast. These prices are only available through November 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Refurbished Apple iPad 4, 16GB
Know anyone with an iPad on their wish list? This refurbished iPad 4 makes an excellent gift, with an ample 9.7″ Retina display and 16GB of storage. It hails from 2012 and comes with a grade “B” refurbished rating, so there may be light scuffing on the bevel or case, or some light scratches or dents on the body, but it will otherwise work like new.
It may sound like a lavish holiday gift, but you can make someone’s dream come true with an Apple MacBook Pro, thanks to this refurbished model. Its 13.3″ LED-backlit display allows them to surf, stream, and more, and an Intel Core i5 processor offers extra power. From 2015, this 128GB device comes with a grade “B” rating, so there may be light scuffing on the bevel or case, or light dents or scratches on the body.
On the hunt for an Apple iPad mini? A mini 4 is here on sale in refurbished form, offering its super thin design. But don’t be deceived by the tiny frame — it still has an Apple A8 chip that lets them efficiently multitask. This model also includes an ample 64GB of storage, an impressive 10-hour battery life, and a tempered glass protector and snap-on case. The grade “B” refurbished rating means they may see minimal scuffing, light scratches, or dents, but it still works great.
If you or any of your loved ones are in the market for a highly portable laptop, this refurbished 13″ Apple MacBook Air offers a sleek size paired with a powerful 1.6GHz Intel Core i5. Intel HD Graphics 6000 offers smooth and stunning streaming with ample 128GB of storage. It comes with a grade “B” refurbished rating, so some light scuffing, scratches, or dents may be visible.
Equipped with an Intel Core i5 2.7GHz processor, this refurbished Apple MacBook Pro offers plenty of power and Intel Iris Graphics 6100, which is ideal for streaming and gaming. Ample 256GB of storage lets you save files right to the device, and this 2015 model comes with a grade “B” refurbished rating, so it will work great but may have some light scuffs, scratches, and dents on the case or body.
Refurbished Apple iPad and Beats Flex Headphones Bundle
Give the whole entertainment package with a refurbished Apple iPad and renewed Beats Flex Headphones bundle. The grade “A” iPad arrives in near-mint condition, equipped with an A9 chip and eight hours of battery life. And you can tune in to all your content with these renewed Beats Flex Headphones that offer premium sound, four ear tip options for a totally customizable fit, and an Apple W1 chip for easy integration with all of your other Apple devices.
Any iPhone 13 – 15 series owners on your list? They’d love this accessory bundle for their smartphone, equipped with everything they’ll need to keep their device powered up from home to work and everywhere in between. They’ll receive a 20W PD charging head, a MagSafe-compatible magnetic case for convenient, safer, and faster charging, and a MagSafe-compatible magnetic card holder that holds up to three cards. There’s also a wireless charger that charges up to 15W quickly and a super durable charging cable that can support as much as 2.4 amps charging current.
(Update 11/23/23: Last year (12/21/22) I shared my trial with four earbuds. This year I tried one more – the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. Added my impressions below.)
I still remember the first time buying the Airpods (first generation) for $140 and thinking it’s crazy to spend so much on something I’d previously considered a $20 item. But I gained new perspective after buying them and seeing how much use they get.
My struggle with the regular Airpods were them constantly falling out or feeling like they were on the verge of falling out of my ears. Some time later I was introduced to Airpods Pro (first gen). I don’t love the tight feeling these have in the ear canal, but it did solve the falling issue, and these buds have been my constant companion for quite a while now.
I love shopping in November since most major retailers allow a long return window (through January 31st or for Apple through January 8th), and it gives a solid two months to try things out and get around to returning whatever necessary. Although not clearly stated, most major retailers will accept open-box electronics items, meaning that if you try something out and decide not to keep it many major retailers will offer a full refund on the return.
Being in the market for new wireless earbuds, I decided to purchase some of the available options, keep what I like and return the rest. I focused on earbuds which will stay snugly in the ear, but which don’t need to be shoved into the ear canal to stay in. What follows is not a comprehensive list, just the few that I happened to try.
Pixel Buds A Series looked good to me in terms of fit due to the little peg that sticks up in the ear. I’m on the Apple ecosystem and prefer something with seamless Apple integration but figured I’d give these a shot.
These were on sale from various retailers over the holidays for $50, though I personally purchased them from Google Store for $64 to use up a credit there.
Beats Fit Pro also have a little peg that sticks up. Beats is also owned by Apple which allows seamless Apple integration.
These I purchased at full price $199.99 directly from Apple in order to use up an Apple balance (which was accumulated from gift cards purchased at a discount a while back). I also got back a $50 Apple gift card from purchasing during the Apple Black Friday event.
This one is different than a standard earbud since it encircles the ear and should avoid any falling-out issues. Powerbeats is also owned by Apple which allows seamless Apple integration.
These I bought on Amazon for $149.95, and I got 10% back on the Amazon Prime credit card.
This is the latest model Airpods. Presumably I’d have the same falling out issue as with the Airpods (1st gen) from a few years back, but figured it’s worth giving this another shot.
These I purchased at full price $169 directly from Apple in order to use up an Apple balance (which was accumulated from gift cards purchased at a discount a while back). I also got back a $25 Apple gift card from purchasing during the Apple Black Friday event.
This one also has a little attachment to keep it snugly in the ear. I figured Bose was a worthwhile brand to try out.
These I bought from Dell for $199, and paid with the AmEx Business Platinum card to use up the $200 Dell credit on that card. The card also had an AmEx Offer for $50-off-$100, so it ended up being profitable to buy these. There is a newer model out, but I decided to go with these to keep it under the $200 from my Dell credit.
I tested each one of these five, and here were my results:
Pixel Buds A Series –
I absolutely love these! They have the perfect balance of good fit with no fall-outs and without any pressure discomfort in the ear. I also like the touch control best on these more than any of the others I’ve tried.
The downside for me is the lack of Apple integration. Also, the max volume is lower than the others and can sometimes be an issue in loud environments. More generally, I think sound quality isn’t as good as the others.
Beats Fit Pro –
These should have been the natural choice for me given the Apple integration and the little peg for snug fit in the ear. However, I found the peg uncomfortable on the Beats Fit Pro (though the peg on the Pixel Buds A Series doesn’t bother me).
Powerbeats Pro –
These also basically hit all the right spots with the Apple integration and the obvious snug fit since it goes over the ear. However, even after using it for many days, putting them on over the ear still feels like a chore; it doesn’t have the easy pop-in and pop-out feel of regular earbuds.
Airpods 3 –
These are the most comfortable since they don’t stick inside the ear canal and don’t have any peg pressuring the ear. However, for me they often feel on the verge of falling out. Not as bad as I remember from years back but still not ideal.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II –
These turned out okay for me. After some adjustments, I got a snug fit in the ear while maintaining decent comfort level. It doesn’t pop in/out as naturally as the Pixel Buds, but it’s not terrible. The sound is better and louder on this than the Pixel Buds, and I think the bluetooth works better with further range. The touch control doesn’t work great, and I have some other glitchy type of issues with the ear detection and the general sound.
So what’s my final word?
Our verdict: I’ll keep the Pixel Buds A Series and live with the lower volume. I’ll also keep the Bose QC Earbuds for loud environments and for the snugger fit. I’m considering keeping the Airpods 3 as well.
This is not a tech blog and I honestly have no idea why I wrote this blogpost. Hopefully someone found it interesting. 🙂
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