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Tag: Apple

  • Apple could be short 6 million iPhone Pros this holiday season: report

    Apple could be short 6 million iPhone Pros this holiday season: report

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    Apple shares sank on Monday after a new report revealed that iPhone Pro production this holiday season could fall short by as many as 6 million units.

    Bloomberg reported that tumult at Zhengzhou, a key manufacturing hub for Apple in China, would likely lead to a massive shortfall of its signature smartphone, citing an unnamed source. The reporting confirmed previous estimates from Morgan Stanley and Wedbush that the iPhone maker was falling short in its production goals this holiday season. 

    “In many Apple stores we are seeing major iPhone 14 Pro shortages of up to 35%-40% of typical inventory heading into December with online channels pushing deliveries into early January in many cases,” Wedbush analysts said in a research note Monday. They estimated that shortages could reduce the number of iPhones sold this quarter by 5% to 10%.

    Apple did not respond to a request for comment. Shares of the tech giant fell $4.34, or 2.9%, to $143.78 in afternoon trading.

    Why the production problems? Blame COVID-19, which is surging in China and slowing work at FoxConn, the electronics manufacturer that assembles iPhones for Apple. Meanwhile, residents are protesting the residential and business shutdowns under the nation’s “zero-COVID” policy, with protests spreading to major cities and even leading to calls for President Xi Jinping to step down.

    “With the ‘head scratching’ zero-COVID policy in China now reaching a tipping point and protests across the country, Apple is essentially caught in the cross-fire heading into the all-important Christmas time period,” Wedbush analysts said. 

    The nationwide demonstrations come after weeks of worker unrest at FoxConn. Last week, a dispute over pay at the company’s factory in Zhengzou in central China sparked employee protests that led to a police showdown in which some demonstrators were beaten. Workers have also chafed against quarantine practices due to strict COVID policies, Bloomberg noted.

    The Taiwanese company was forced to apologize on Thursday, blaming the pay dispute on a “technical error” in adding new employees after an October exodus of thousands of employees over what they said were unsafe working conditions.

    Apple could still increase production in the coming weeks to try to make up some of the shortfall, Wedbush noted.

    “Now it’s the painful waiting game to see what ramped production looks like over the next week for Apple to ease some iPhone shortages that are building globally,” the analysts said. 

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  • Apple faces

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    Planning to buy Apple’s shiny new iPhone 14 as Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season? Good luck. The device is in extremely short supply both online and at the company’s retail outlets, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives. 

    “We believe demand for iPhone 14 units into the all-important Black Friday holiday weekend is way ahead of supply and could cause major shortages leading into Christmas season,” he said in a report on Friday. 

    Blame COVID. A renewed outbreak of the disease in China has slowed production at FoxConn, the electronics manufacturer that assembles iPhones for Apple. China’s “zero-COVID” policy isn’t helping, either. Authorities reported record high COVID-19 case numbers in mainland China for the second consecutive day Friday. The surging caseload has prompted new and spreading residential lockdowns, as well as business shutdowns in multiple major cities.


    Apple CEO Tim Cook on newest Apple features, the economy and what’s next

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    “The zero-COVID China shutdowns in Foxconn have been a major gut punch to Apple this quarter and we believe have taken roughly 5% of iPhone 14 units out of the supply chain and thus putting Cupertino in a ‘major shortage’ heading into the next month,” Ives said.

    He expects Apple to sell roughly 8 million iPhones over the Black Friday weekend, down from 10 million a year ago.

    Labor strife at FoxConn this week is creating another headache for Apple. A dispute over pay and working conditions at the company’s factory in Zhengzou in central China sparked employee protests. The Taiwanese company was forced to apologize on Thursday after police roughed up workers, blaming the pay dispute on a “technical error” in adding new employees. 

    “If Zhengzhou remains at lower capacity the next few weeks and continues to see the unrest build with workers, this would cause clear major iPhone Pro shortages into the all-important Christmas time period, especially in the U.S.,” Ives said. 

    The Associated Press contributed to this report

    Alain Sherter

    Alain Sherter covers business and economic affairs for CBSNews.com.

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  • Watch Apple CEO Tim Cook Control Diplo’s Cryo Blasts In Vegas – EDM.com

    Watch Apple CEO Tim Cook Control Diplo’s Cryo Blasts In Vegas – EDM.com

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    What happens when Apple CEO Tim Cook strolls into a Diplo concert in Las Vegas?

    Apparently Cook takes control. The tech titan was recently spotted in Las Vegas for the opening night of Adele’s highly publicized residency, where he eventually made his way over to XS Nightclub at the Wynn to join the Grammy-nominated DJ and producer. Believe it or not, it’s not the first time the two have hung out.

    If the below TikTok video posted by Diplo is any indication, he made a “deal” which ultimately resulted in Cook joining him and taking control of the stage’s cryo blasts.

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  • UK Regulator Opens Cloud Gaming, Browsers Probe After Reports of Apple, Alphabet Duopoly

    UK Regulator Opens Cloud Gaming, Browsers Probe After Reports of Apple, Alphabet Duopoly

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    By Kyle Morris

    The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation into cloud gaming and mobile browsers after an earlier report that Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc. have an effective duopoly on mobile ecosystems.
    

    The regulator said the duopoly allows them to exercise a stranglehold over operating systems, app stores and web browsers on mobile devices.
    

    

    Write to Kyle Morris at kyle.morris@dowjones.com
    

    

    

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    Starting today, iPhone 14 users in U.S., Canada can send emergency texts without service or WiFi
    
			
    Starting today, iPhone 14 users in U.S., Canada can send emergency texts without service or WiFi
    
			
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    Apple is broadening its user safety features, launching a new satellite service Tuesday that lets iPhone 14 users send emergency SOS messages when there is no WiFi or cellular service. In addition, new technology can detect when you and your Apple device are in a car crash and reach out to 911 for help.
    

    Apple CEO Tim Cook told CBS News that the company wants to enrich people’s lives. Cook has been with the tech giant since the late ’90s, and succeeded Steve Jobs as the leader of the brand in 2011.  
    

    The introduction of Apple’s iPhone helped push smartphone adoption to the masses, and in the years since its 2007 debut, the company has continued to refine its flagship handset while developing products like watches and tablets.
    


    Cook even acknowledges that the company is pushing into the health and wellness space.
    

    “I started getting notes about people that found out that they had heart issues that they didn’t know about,” Cook revealed about Apple Watches.
    

    Now, with the addition of the Emergency SOS via satellite service, users can communicate in places where they wouldn’t have been able to connect before. To make the service work, the iPhone needs a clear view of the sky and horizon and the system will guide the user through a number of screen swipes, moves and taps.
    

    “It sends my location information, including my elevation. It sends my medical ID if I’ve set that up, even my battery level on the phone,” said Kaiann Drance, vice president of Apple iPhone marketing.
    

    Cook shared some of his thinking when it came to development of the feature.  “I’m a hiker. And so, I’m frequently out in places where there is no service.”  He continued,”The national parks are largely not covered by cellular service. And so, this happens to people all the time. And it feels so great to be able to talk to a satellite hundreds of miles away, traveling at 15,000 miles an hour.”
    

    On privacy, Cook said,  “We’re not sucking that information up into the cloud to make decisions off of it. We believe in getting the bare minimum level of information that we need to provide somebody a service and we see privacy as the issue of the century.”
    

    And while Cook has watched the company gain trillions of dollars in market value and hold its position as one of the world’s most valuable companies since he took the helm, it isn’t spared from the current economic conditions.
    

    “What we’re doing as a consequence of being in this period is we’re being very deliberate on our hiring,” Cook revealed about Apple’s hiring freeze. “That means we’re continuing to hire, but not everywhere in the company are we hiring. We believe strongly in investing for the long term. And we don’t believe you can save your way to prosperity. We think you invest your way into it.”
    

    Cook doesn’t seem like he plans to retire anytime soon.
    

    “It’s a privilege of a lifetime to be here,” he said. “And I get to work with people I really love to work with and spend time with them. And so, there’s a lot of joy in my life because of Apple. And it’s really hard to envision life without Apple.”
    

        
    


    
  
    

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    Apple CEO Tim Cook on newest Apple features, the economy and what’s next
    
			
    Apple CEO Tim Cook on newest Apple features, the economy and what’s next
    
			
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    Apple CEO Tim Cook on newest Apple features, the economy and what’s next – CBS News

    



    
    
    

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                    “CBS Mornings” co-host Nate Burleson goes to Apple’s headquarters in Silicon Valley to spend time with CEO Tim Cook and get an exclusive look at a new iPhone safety feature. The two talk about the newest Apple features, the economy and Cook’s future.
                      
    

    

    
    

        
    

    

    
  
    

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    Apple’s biggest iPhone manufacturing unit coming up near Bengaluru: Ashwini Vaishnaw
    
			
    Apple’s biggest iPhone manufacturing unit coming up near Bengaluru: Ashwini Vaishnaw
    
			
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    Apple’s biggest iPhone manufacturing unit is coming up near Bengaluru and will employ around 60,000 people, Telecom and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.
    

    Speaking at the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas ceremony, Vaishnaw said that six thousand tribal women residing near Ranchi and Hazaribagh have been trained for making iPhones. He said Apple’s iPhone is now getting made in India and its biggest plant in the country is being set up at Hosur near Bengaluru. 
    

    “60,000 people work in a single factory. The first 6,000 employees of these 60,000 employees are our tribal sisters from places nearby Ranchi and Hazaribagh. Tribal sisters have been trained to make Apple iPhone,” the minister said.
    

    Apple has outsourced the manufacturing of iPhone enclosures to Tata Electronics, which has a plant at Hosur. In India, iPhones are manufactured by electronics giants – Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron.
    

    Last week, Reuters reported that Apple supplier Foxconn was planning to boost the workforce at its plant in southern India to 70,000 and would add 53,000 more workers over the next two years. Foxconn’s largest plant is in Zhengzhou – the capital of China’s Henan province.  Zhengzhou Park employs 200,000 workers. 
    

    Foxconn opened its plant in India in 2019 and began producing iPhone 14 this year.
    

    In September, JP Morgan revealed that Apple was looking for ways to move about 5 per cent of iPhone 14 production to India, which is the second-biggest smartphone market after China. The move comes as Apple is cutting production from China, amid the country’s mounting geopolitical tensions and strict Covid lockdown policy.
    

    During an earnings call in July, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that while the June quarter saw record growth in Americas, Europe and the rest of Asia Pacific, Apple’s revenue in India also nearly doubled.
    

    (With input from PTI)
    

    

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    Apple being
    
			
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    Apple, the world’s most valuable company, has slowed some hiring, according to CEO Tim Cook, amid a wave of layoffs in Silicon Valley and an unpredictable economic future. 
    

    “What we’re doing as a consequence of being in this period is we’re being very deliberate on our hiring,” Cook told “CBS Mornings” at Apple’s headquarters in California. “That means we’re continuing to hire, but not everywhere in the company are we hiring.”
    

    Companies from ride-sharing platforms Lyft to mighty Amazon have either shed jobs or put their hiring plans on hold as the U.S. economy slows. Facebook’s parent company Meta said last week it is slashing 11,000 jobs – the most significant job cut in its history.
    


    But Cook said Apple believes strongly in investing for the long term, “and we don’t believe you can save your way to prosperity.”
    

    “We think you invest your way to it,” he said.
    

    Cook also discussed Apple’s return-to-office policy. Employees are now required to be in the office three days a week, a shift that went into effect in September. 
    

    “We make product, and you have to hold product. You collaborate with one another because we believe that one plus one equals three,” he said.
    

    “So that takes the serendipity of running into people, and bouncing ideas off, and caring enough to advance your idea through somebody else because you know that’ll make it a bigger idea,” Cook said. 
    

    He noted, however, that on Fridays, the Silicon Valley offices are “a ghost town.”
    

    More of the interview with Cook and the full “CBS Mornings” story, including coverage of the iPhone 14’s newest features, will air on Tuesday, November 15.
    

    Alain Sherter contributed to this article.
    

        
    


    
  
    

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    Apple supplier Foxconn plans to quadruple workforce at India plant
    
			
    Apple supplier Foxconn plans to quadruple workforce at India plant
    
			
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    Apple supplier Foxconn plans to quadruple the workforce at its iPhone factory in India over two years, two government officials with knowledge of the matter said, pointing to a production adjustment as it faces disruptions in China.
    

    Foxconn has grabbed headlines in recent weeks, with tight virus restrictions at its Zhengzhou plant, the world’s largest iPhone factory, disturbing production and fuelling concerns over the impact of China’s virus policy on global supply chains.
    

    The disruptions prompted Apple to lower its forecast for shipments of the premium iPhone 14 models this week, dampening its sales outlook for the busy year-end holiday season.
    

    Taiwan-based Foxconn now plans to boost the workforce at its plant in southern India to 70,000 by adding 53,000 more workers over the next two years, said the sources, who declined to be named as the discussions are private.
    

    While the size of the plant in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu is dwarfed by Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant, which employs 200,000 workers, it is central to Apple’s efforts to shift production away from China.
    

    Foxconn, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, opened the India plant in 2019 and has been ramping up production. It began producing iPhone 14 this year.
    

    Foxconn’s interest in expanding the facility is known, but the scale of the planned expansion and timelines have previously not been reported.
    

    Both Foxconn and Apple declined to comment.
    

    Foxconn Chairman Liu Young-way said on an earnings call on Thursday the company would adjust its production capacity and output so there was no impact from further potential disruptions on supplies for the Christmas and Lunar New Year holidays.
    

    Foxconn has shared its plans with Tamil Nadu officials about accelerating its hiring efforts at the Indian plant due to disruptions in China, said the first government source.
    

    Beyond iPhones, the plant also manufactures products for other global tech firms, but the new hiring push is mainly driven by its need to meet growing iPhone demand, the person added.
    

    A person in Taiwan with knowledge of the matter said Foxconn was expanding its operations in India to increase its capacity for basic models and to meet Indian demand.
    

    “We are gradually increasing our production scale there,” the person said, declining to give details on its hiring plans in India.
    

    The second government source in India, a senior official in the Tamil Nadu administration, said the state government was working with Foxconn in “finalising” the expansion.
    

    On Oct. 27, the state’s investment promotion arm tweeted that top government officials had travelled to Taiwan and met Liu. They had “elaborately discussed Foxconn’s plans for new ventures and investments” and offered the government’s support.
    

    The state was having discussions with the suppliers to address issues such as housing facilities for workers as it looked to expand, the first government official said.
    

    Last year, Foxconn’s Tamil Nadu plant was at the centre of a mass food-poisoning incident which sparked employee protests and threw light on the living conditions of the workers in hostels near the factory.
    

    Officials at Tamil Nadu, a hub of electronic and automotive manufacturing, were also pushing Apple suppliers to branch out into manufacturing components for iPhones beyond just assembly, the two government sources added.
    

    Currently, iPhones are assembled in India by at least three of Apple’s global suppliers: Foxconn and Pegatron in Tamil Nadu; and Wistron in nearby Karnataka state.
    

    JP Morgan analysts estimated in September that Apple may make one out of four iPhones in India by 2025, and 25 per cent of all Apple products, including Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods, will be manufactured outside China by 2025 from 5 per cent currently.
    

    

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    Lawsuit accuses Apple, Amazon of colluding to raise iPhone prices
    
			
    Lawsuit accuses Apple, Amazon of colluding to raise iPhone prices
    
			
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    A lawsuit filed in Washington state on Wednesday alleges that Apple and Amazon have worked together to raise the prices of iPhones and iPads sold on the retail site. 
    

    The class-action antitrust lawsuit alleges that Amazon is the largest online retailer of electronics, capturing about 82% of the market and selling Apple products directly while also allowing third-party users to sell new or used devices. The complaint alleges that because Apple and Amazon do not benefit from sales by third-party users, they have been suppressing Apple resellers with a “horizontal agreement that eliminated nearly all Apple resellers on Amazon Marketplace.”
    

    According to the lawsuit, just seven authorized Apple resellers now exist on the platform, down from a high of 600. Since the alleged agreement between Apple and Amazon was finalized in 2019, the online retailer has been provided with consistent Apple supplies at a discount of up to 10%. That discount, the lawsuit alleges, is contingent on resellers not being able to sell Apple products on Amazon. 
    


    As a result of this agreement, the complaint alleges, Amazon shoppers started paying more for Apple devices on the site. 
    

    “With virtually all other Apple resellers eliminated from the platform, price competition deteriorated almost immediately,” the lawsuit reads. “The steep discounts on Apple products that consumers once enjoyed on Amazon Marketplace eroded, with prices rising steadily.” 
    

    Prices on iPhones and iPads sold in the Amazon Marketplace rose by “more than 10 percent,” the suit claimed, citing data from before and after the alleged agreement was implemented.  
    

    Apple and Amazon have not yet responded to requests for comment from CBS News. 
    

    The lawsuit was filed by attorneys from Hagens Berman, a law firm that has sued Apple in the past, including in a case that resulted in a $400 million refund to e-book purchasers. In that case, Apple was accused of working with five major e-book publishers to raise prices. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in New York ruled that the tech company had violated antitrust law.  
    

        
    


    
  
    

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    WSJ News Exclusive | Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg Says He Is Accountable as Company Preps for Mass Layoffs
    
			
    WSJ News Exclusive | Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg Says He Is Accountable as Company Preps for Mass Layoffs
    
			
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    Layoffs are to begin on Wednesday morning, the CEO told hundreds of executives on Tuesday
    


    


    




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    Apple Said COVID Restrictions in China Will Delay iPhone 14 Pro, Max
    
			
    Apple Said COVID Restrictions in China Will Delay iPhone 14 Pro, Max
    
			
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    Apple announced in a statement Sunday that its new iPhone models, the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, will be delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions at a relevant facility in Zhengzhou, China.
    

    

    

    	
    
															Courtesy Apple.
    iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
    

    “The facility is currently operating at significantly reduced capacity. As we have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prioritizing the health and safety of the workers in our supply chain,” the statement said.
    

    Various companies and industries that manufacture in China have been hit by the country’s “zero COVID” policy, which started in the early pandemic.
    

    Last week, videos emerged online of workers fleeing the 200,000-person factory, reportedly to escape the facility’s harsh lockdown conditions amid a COVID outbreak.
    

    Reuters also reported that COVID-related issues could drag down iPhone output at the facility by some 30%. The plant has been called “iPhone city,” and it has been reported previously that workers there are exposed to harsh conditions.
    

    The factory is operated by Foxconn, a contractor that makes 70% of Apple’s iPhones. It employs some 1.3 million people in mainland China, according to The Guardian, and said it hit over $200 billion in revenue in 2021.
    

    “Foxconn is now working with the government in a concerted effort to stamp out the pandemic and resume production to its full capacity as quickly as possible,” Foxconn said Monday, according to the AP.
    

    China’s economic growth has also slowed due to the policy, the outlet noted.
    

    Apple introduced a suite of new iPhone 14s at its annual September product launch. They do not have physical SIM cards and now have an “always-on” lock screen, among other new features.
    

    The Pro and the Pro Max versions are also the most expensive models priced at $999 and $1099, respectively.
    

    “We continue to see strong demand for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models,” the company said.
    

    

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    Apple says iPhone supplies hurt by anti-COVID curbs in China
    
			
    Apple says iPhone supplies hurt by anti-COVID curbs in China
    
			
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    Apple is warning customers they’ll have to wait longer to get its latest iPhone models after anti-virus restrictions were imposed on a contractor’s factory in central China.
    

    The company announcement Sunday gave no details but said the factory operated by Foxconn in the central city of Zhengzhou is “operating at significantly reduced capacity.”
    

    “We now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated,” the company said. “Customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products.”
    


    Foxconn Technology Group said earlier it imposed anti-virus measures on the factory in Zhengzhou following virus outbreaks. Apple and Foxconn previously hadn’t responded to questions about how iPhone production might be affected. Last week, access to the industrial zone where the factory is located was suspended for one week following a surge in infections in Zhengzhou and the departure of workers from the factory.
    

    The lockdown is expected to cause further disruptions to the plant, which in recent weeks has seen a spate of coronavirus infections and an exodus of workers, some of whom fled the factory on foot.
    

    “Gut punch”
    

    “After battling the macro headwinds and delivering a strong September quarter/guidance in a stark contrast to the rest of Big Tech, this latest zero COVID situation is an absolute gut punch for Apple in its most important holiday quarter,” Wedbush analysts said in a report.
    

    They added, “If Zhengzhou remains at lower capacity the next few weeks, this would cause clear iPhone Pro shortages into the all-important Christmas time period, especially in the U.S.”
    

    Foxconn said in a statement that it is revising its outlook for this quarter downward due to the lockdown. 
    

    “Foxconn is now working with the government in a concerted effort to stamp out the pandemic and resume production to its full capacity as quickly as possible,” the company said Monday.
    

    It also said that the provincial government has said it will “fully support” Foxconn in managing the plant’s pandemic prevention and operation situation.
    

    In a post on the Zhengzhou plant’s WeChat social media account Sunday, the company said a “closed loop” system would restrict its employees’ travel between their dormitories and the factory area to manage risks of COVID-19 transmission.
    

    

              
    
            
    

              Poor earnings reports from Microsoft and Alphabet shake Nasdaq
    

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    The last quarter of the year is typically a busy season for companies like Foxconn as they ramp up production ahead of the end of year holiday rush.
    

    “We are working closely with our supplier to return to normal production levels while ensuring the health and safety of every worker,” Apple said.
    

    While other big technology companies have struggled this year as the economy slows, Apple has proved more resilient. Its fiscal fourth-quarter revenue rose 8% from the same time last year to $90.1 billion, while its profits rose roughly 1% to $20.72 billion.
    

        
    


    
  
    

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    Apple warns of hit to iPhone shipments from China COVID disruption
    
			
    Apple warns of hit to iPhone shipments from China COVID disruption
    
			
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    Apple Inc on Sunday said it expects lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone Pro Max shipments than previously anticipated as COVID-19 restrictions temporarily disrupt production at an assembly facility in Zhengzhou, China.
    

    “The facility is currently operating at significantly reduced capacity,” the iPhone maker said in a statement. “Customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products,” it added.
    

    Reuters last month reported that production of Apple’s iPhones could slump by as much as 30% at one of the world’s biggest factories next month due to tightening COVID curbs in China.
    

    Its main Zhengzhou plant in central China, which employs about 200,000 people, has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with many workers fleeing the site.
    

    Separately, Taiwan’s Foxconn, Apple Inc’s biggest iPhone maker, said on Monday it was working to resume full production at a major plant in Zhengzhou that had been hit by COVID-19 curbs, and revised down its fourth quarter outlook.
    

    The impact on production comes amid a traditionally busy time for electronics makers ahead of the year-end holiday season, which is also a prime time for vendors of consumer goods like Apple.
    

    

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    Apple Is Now Valued More Than Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Combined
    
			
    Apple Is Now Valued More Than Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Combined
    
			
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    • Apple’s market value is now higher than that of Alphabet, Amazon and Meta combined. 
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    • The iPhone maker’s worth stands at $2.307 trillion, while its tech peers add up to $2.306 trillion.
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    • Tech stocks have suffered after posting poor quarterly earnings, but Apple dodged a wipeout. 
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    This story was originally published on Business Insider. 
    

    

    

    	
    
															Loren Elliott/Reuters via Business Insider
    Apple’s market cap was $2.307 trillion at Wednesday’s close.
    

    Apple is now worth more than fellow tech giants Alphabet, Amazon and Meta combined, after it ended trading Wednesday with a market value of $2.307 trillion.
    

    At the same time, the market caps of its three tech giant peers added up to $2.306 trillion at the close of trading Wednesday. Google parent Alphabet’s market cap stood at $1.126 trillion, Amazon’s at $939.78 billion and Facebook parent Meta’s at $240.07 billion, Yahoo Finance data showed.
    

    Overall, Big Tech stocks suffered a brutal selloff last week on the back of disappointing quarterly earnings. But Apple’s stock has outperformed its peers after it beat Wall Street’s revenue and profit forecasts for its fourth quarter.
    

    The iPhone maker’s shares soared 8% in the wake of its results. After their earnings reports, Meta plunged more than 20%, Amazon fell about 10%, while Alphabet saw a single-digit decline.
    

    Alphabet, Amazon and Meta’s lackluster earnings signaled that demand for digital advertising is flagging. The poorly-received results have helped wipe billions off their market values as their shares fell, and pushed Amazon out of the trillion-dollar market cap club.
    

    Over the past five sessions, Apple’s stock has risen 0.16%, while Alphabet has fallen 5.7%, Amazon is down 17.0% and Meta has lost 7.6% over that period.
    

    Despite Apple’s achievement, its market cap has fallen back from its $2.193 trillion value at the end of 2021. A series of headwinds — high inflation, rising interest rates, fears of recession and the Ukraine war among them — have meant tech stocks have struggled in 2022 as investors lost appetite for higher risk assets.
    

    This story was amended to correct the market cap figure in the headline. Apple’s market value is $2.307 trillion, not $2.037 trillion.
    

    

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     Zahra Tayeb
    

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    China locks down area around world’s biggest iPhone factory due to COVID outbreak
    
			
    China locks down area around world’s biggest iPhone factory due to COVID outbreak
    
			
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    COVID-19 Test In Zhengzhou 
    A medical worker sitting on a mobile nucleic acid sampling tricycle takes a swab sample from a resident for COVID-19 nucleic acid test on October 31, 2022 in Zhengzhou, China.
    

                      
    

                Liu Xu/VCG via Getty Images
    

                          
    
              
    

    Beijing — Access to an industrial zone in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou was suspended Wednesday after the city reported dozens of coronavirus cases and workers who assemble Apple Inc. iPhones left their factory in the zone following outbreaks.
    

    The announcement didn’t say whether the isolation of the Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone was related to cases at the Foxconn factory. It gave no indication of what prompted the closure. It said no one can enter or leave for one week except to deliver food and medical supplies.
    

     The Zhengzhou plant is the world’s biggest iPhone factory, according to Agency France-Presse.
    

    Separately, the government reported 64 confirmed cases had been found in Zhengzhou over the past 24 hours. It said 294 asymptomatic cases also had been found in the city of 12.5 million. It didn’t say how many were in the industrial zone. 
    


    The ruling Communist Party is enforcing a “Zero COVID” policy that has closed areas throughout China for weeks to try to isolate every case. 
    

    That’s kept China’s infection rate relatively low but has disrupted trade and business at a time when other countries are easing anti-virus curbs. Public frustration with the restrictions has boiled over into fights with police in some areas. 
    

    In Zhengzhou, everyone in the industrial zone will be tested every day for the coronavirus, the Airport District said. It didn’t say how many people might be affected. 
    

    Areas throughout China tightened restrictions on movement and canceled airline flights last month after new infections surged following the weeklong National Day holiday. 
    

    Residents of many parts of the Xinjiang region in the northwest were barred from leaving their homes in August and September. People in Urumqi and other cities who said they’d run out of food and medicine posted appeals for help on social media. 
    

    Thousands of employees left the Foxconn Technology Group factory starting in mid-October after complaints that people who contracted the virus received no treatment. Some accused the company of failing to enforce measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
    

    AFP says images were posted on Chinese social media last week showing people “breaking out of the facility.”
    

    Foxconn, a Taiwanese tech giant, said Sunday it was using “closed loop management,” an official term for employees living at their workplace and avoiding contact with the outside. The company said ill employees were being treated but didn’t say if new infections still were occurring. 
    

    Also this week, visitors to Shanghai Disneyland were temporarily barred from leaving as part of virus testing the city government said Tuesday had extended to 439,000 people. The city health agency said visitors on Monday tested negative and were allowed to leave. 
    

    Last week, 1.3 million residents of Shanghai’s downtown Yangpu district were ordered to stay at home while they were tested.
    

        
    


    
  
    

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    Crude oil prices edge lower amid China COVID-19 woes, Brent hits $92.77/bbl
    
			
    Crude oil prices edge lower amid China COVID-19 woes, Brent hits $92.77/bbl
    
			
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    Oil prices inched lower on Tuesday, extending losses of 1% from the previous session as more extensive COVID-19 curbs in China increased fears of slowing fuel demand in the world’s second-largest oil consumer.
    

    Brent crude for January delivery was down 4 cents at $92.77 a barrel at 0112 GMT. The December contract expired on Monday at $94.83 a barrel, down 1%.
    

    US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 18 cents, or 0.2%, to $86.35 a barrel.
    

    COVID-19 curbs in top crude oil importer China forced the temporary closure of Disney’s Shanghai resort on Monday, while production of Apple Inc iPhones at a major contract manufacturing facility could drop by 30% in November.
    

    “With China sticking to the zero-COVID policy, the oil demand outlook overshadowed a record of US oil export data from last week,” CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said.
    

    Strict pandemic restrictions have caused China’s factory activity to fall in October and cut into its imports from Japan and South Korea.
    

    Also weighing on sentiment was the world’s largest independent oil trader Vitol saying that its sees signs of oil demand destruction, ANZ Research analysts said in a note.
    

    Pressuring oil prices, US oil output climbed to nearly 12 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, highest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as shale companies said they do not expect production to accelerate in coming months.
    

    That is likely to lead to a rise in US crude oil stocks in the week to Oct. 28 of about 300,000 barrels, while distillate and gasoline inventories were expected to fall, a preliminary Reuters poll showed.
    

    The poll was conducted ahead of reports from the American Petroleum Institute due at 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 GMT) on Tuesday, and the Energy Information Administration due at 10:30 a.m. (1430 GMT) on Wednesday.
    

    Brent and WTI benchmarks ended October higher, marking their first monthly gains since May after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia announced plans to cut output by 2 million bpd.
    

    OPEC raised its forecasts for world oil demand in the medium-and longer-term on Monday, saying that $12.1 trillion of investment is needed to meet this demand despite the transition to renewable energy sources. 
    

    US President Joe Biden has called on oil and gas companies to use their record profits to lower costs for Americans and increase production, or pay a higher tax rate.
    

    

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    Workers Are Climbing Fences to Flee China’s Largest iPhone Factory
    
			
    Workers Are Climbing Fences to Flee China’s Largest iPhone Factory
    
			
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    • Workers are reportedly fleeing the world’s largest iPhone factory in droves, amid a Covid outbreak.
      • 

    • Photos and videos of workers escaping the Zhengzhou compound have been circulating online.
      • 

    • Foxconn said it is arranging transportation for workers who wish to go home for an “orderly return.”
      • 

    

    This story originally appeared on Business Insider. 
    

    

    

    	
    
															Ceng Shou Yi/NurPhoto via Getty Images/Business Insider
    Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn is a major supplier to Apple
    

    Workers at the world’s largest iPhone factory in China are fleeing the facility in droves, amid fears of severe COVID-19 restrictions following an outbreak, according to reports.
    

    The facility, located in Zhengzhou city in the central Chinese province of Henan, employs over 200,000 workers. They make the majority of the world’s iPhones. The facilities were hit by a COVID-19 outbreak, which triggered strict pandemic containment curbs under China’s Covid-zero policy and worsened living conditions, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing five workers.
    

    A risk of food shortages became a source of unrest, as only those working on production lines were provided with meal boxes, Bloomberg said on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Workers infected with COVID-19, or those who feared leaving their dormitories, were just provided with basic supplies such as bread and instant noodles, the media outlet reported.
    

    Dramatic photos and videos of Foxconn workers escaping the Zhengzhou compound have made their way online. One video appears to show the workers carrying bags of their belongings while making their way out on foot.
    


    A video, posted by BBC’s China Correspondent Stephen McDonell, appears to show workers climbing over fences to escape the facility.
    


    Insider was unable to independently verify the videos.
    

    Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Technology Group in China and Taiwan, said in a statement to Insider that it is “very aware that under the current situation, it is a protracted battle for safeguarding the health and safety of more than 200,000 employees in Foxconn’s Zhengzhou park.”
    

    The company did not make any reference to the social media postings. Foxconn said it’s continuing to implement pandemic prevention measures in Zhengzhou park, including setting up a 24-hour hotline for employees. It added that the outbreak is stabilizing and there’s ample supply of daily necessities.
    

    “For some employees who want to return home, the park is cooperating with the government to organize personnel and vehicles to provide a point-to-point orderly return service for employees, from today,” Foxconn said.
    

    The company will coordinate with its other factories to minimize the impact on production capacity, it said.
    

    The Foxconn outbreak happened just as Apple enters the crucial holiday quarter for retail trade. Apple has already warned of slowing growth in the fourth quarter, due to a strong US dollar and supply challenges of higher-end iPhone models.
    

    The events at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant could cut Apple’s November output by as much as 30%, Reuters reported on Monday, citing a person with direct knowledge of the matter.
    

    Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, which was sent outside regular business hours.
    

    Foxconn shares are flat on Monday, trading at 45.50 New Taiwan Dollars, or $1.41 apiece, on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
    

    

    

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     Huileng Tan
    

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    As subscription prices rise, here’s what’s worth streaming in November 2022: ‘The Crown,’ ‘Willow,’ ‘Mythic Quest’ and more
    
			
    As subscription prices rise, here’s what’s worth streaming in November 2022: ‘The Crown,’ ‘Willow,’ ‘Mythic Quest’ and more
    
			
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    So here’s some bad news and some, well, slightly less bad news.
    

    First, the bad-bad: Streaming prices are increasing almost across the board (Hulu and Apple TV+ rose in October, Disney+ will rise in December, while Netflix and Prime Video rose earlier this year), putting even more of a crunch on budget-conscious consumers.
    

    

    But now the less bad: If you can put up with commercials, there are cheaper, ad-supported versions coming your way (Netflix on Nov. 3, Disney+ in December).
    

    Of course, the other money-saving solution is to double down on a churn-and-return strategy and cut down on recurring subscriptions even more.
    

    Each month, this column offers tips on how to maximize your streaming and your budget, rating the major services as a “play,” “pause” or “stop” — similar to investment analysts’ traditional ratings of buy, hold and sell. We also pick the best content to help you make your monthly decisions.
    

    Consumers can take full advantage of cord-cutting by churning and returning — adding and dropping streaming services each month. All it takes is good planning. Keep in mind that a billing cycle starts when you sign up, not necessarily at the beginning of the month, and keep an eye out for lower-priced tiers, limited-time discounts, free trials and cost-saving bundles. There are a lot of offers out there, but the deals don’t last forever.
    

    Here’s a look at what’s coming to the various streaming services in November 2022, and what’s really worth the monthly subscription fee.
    

    Netflix ($6.99 a month for basic with ads starting Nov. 3, $9.99 basic without ads, $15.49 standard without ads, $19.99 premium without ads)
    

    Netflix has another really good month coming up.
    

     “The Crown” (Nov. 9), returns for its fifth season, set this time in the 1990s as scandals involving Charles and Diana plaster London’s tabloids and the role of Britain’s monarchy in modern society is thrown into question. Imelda Staunton takes over the role of Queen Elizabeth, with Dominic West as Prince Charles, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip. Controversy has already erupted over the new season, which will include Diana’s tragic death, as some have spoken out about the show’s increasingly blurry line between truth and fiction. Pryce recently told Vanity Fair, ““The vast majority of people know it’s a drama,” not a documentary. And it’s a pretty good drama.
    

    Netflix
    
        NFLX,
    
        -0.41%
    
       hasn’t had much success developing original sitcoms, but is hoping to finally break through with “Blockbuster” (Nov. 3), a workplace comedy set at the last Blockbuster video store in America, starring network sitcom veterans Randall Park (“Fresh Off the Boat”) and Melissa Fumero (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”). There’s also “Wednesday” (Nov. 23), a horror-comedy series from Tim Burton starring Jenna Ortega as the terrifyingly snarky teen Wednesday Addams, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman playing her creepy and kooky parents, Morticia and Gomez; and the third and final season of the dark comedy “Dead to Me” (Nov. 17), starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, which returns after a two-and-a-half-year layoff.
    

    On the drama side, there’s “1899” (Nov. 17), a mystery-horror series set aboard a transatlantic steamer ship at the turn of the last century, from the makers of the mind-bending German sci-fi series “Dark” — and if it’s even half as trippy and addictive, it’ll be terrific; Part 1 of the fourth season of the supernatural drama “Manifest” (Nov. 4), which Netflix rescued from NBC’s cancellation; and Season 6 of the soapy Spanish high-school drama “Elite” (Nov 18).
    

    More: Here’s everything new coming to Netflix in November 2022, and what’s leaving
    

    There’s also the timely documentary “FIFA Uncovered” (Nov. 9), digging into the scandal-plagued organization behind the World Cup; “Pepsi, Where’s My Jet” (Nov. 17), a documentary about a man who sued Pepsi in the 1980s to get a free Harrier fighter jet; the fifth installment of “The Great British Baking Show: Holidays” (Nov. 18); and the new standup comedy special from the outgoing “Daily Show” host, “Trevor Noah: I Wish You Would” (Nov. 22).
    

    On the movie front, there’s “Enola Holmes 2” (Nov. 4), a sequel to the hit 2020 movie about Sherlock Holmes’ younger sister, played by Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”), as young detective Enola sets out to investigate her first case; “Slumberland” (Nov. 18), a comedy adventure about a young girl exploring the dreamworld, starring Mallow Barkley and Jason Mamoa; and Lindsay Lohan is back with a Christmas rom-com, “Falling for Christmas” (Nov. 10).
    

    Who’s Netflix for? Fans of buzz-worthy original shows and movies.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Play. When it’s at the top of its game, as it is again this month, Netflix is a must-have, at whatever price tier.
    

    Disney+ ($7.99 a month)
    

    The TV world has been abuzz about prequels for the past few months, but it’s all about sequels in November for Disney+.
    

    The biggest of the bunch is “Willow” (Nov. 30), a follow-up series to the cult-favorite 1988 fantasy movie of the same name. The magical adventure is set 20 years after the events of the film, and Warwick Davis returns as farmer-turned-sorcerer Willow Ufgood, who leads an unlikely group of heroes on a quest to save their world. It should be fun for the whole family.
    

    Disney
    
        DIS,
    
        +1.45%
    
       also has “Disenchanted” (Nov. 18), a sequel to the 2007 hit movie “Enchanted.” The musical fantasy is set 10 years after the happily-ever-after ending, with Giselle (Amy Adams) questioning her happiness and inadvertently setting her two worlds askew.  Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden and Maya Rudolph co-star. And then there’s “The Santa Clauses” (Nov. 16), as Tim Allen reprises his role of Santa Claus, who’s now facing retirement and looking for a replacement, in a new miniseries spinoff of the family-movie trilogy.
    

    Also of note: “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” (Nov. 25), as Star-Lord and the gang kidnap Kevin Bacon; the live performance “Elton John: Live from Dodger Stadium” (Nov. 20), the pop icon’s final show in North America; and weekly episodes of “Dancing With the Stars” (season finale Nov. 21), the “Star Wars” prequel  “Andor” (season finale Nov. 23) and “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” (season finale Nov. 30).
    

    And heads up: Prices for the ad-free tier will jump to $10.99 a month in December, after Disney+ launches its ad-supported tier for $7.99 a month.
    

    Who’s Disney+ for? Families with kids, hardcore “Star Wars” and Marvel fans. For people not in those groups, Disney’s library can be lacking.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Play. There’s something for everyone in the household — even  grumps who aren’t “Star Wars” fans can get into “Andor,” which absolutely works as a dark, gripping, spy thriller. Meanwhile, fans are realizing it just might be the best “Star Wars” series or movie ever made.
    

    HBO Max ($9.99 a month with ads, or $14.99  without ads)
    

    HBO Max is bringing back  “The Sex Lives of College Girls” (Nov. 17) for its second season. Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble (who also teamed on Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever”), the ensemble comedy about four college roommates picks up right after Thanksgiving break, with the girls organizing a “sex-positive” male strip show. It’s sharp, funny, and less cringey than its title suggests.
    

    Then there’s “A Christmas Story Christmas” (Nov. 17), a nostalgic sequel to the 1983 classic, starring Peter Billingsley as a grown-up Ralphie who returns to his hometown to try to give his kids a perfect Christmas. It’s risky reviving such a beloved movie, and this could either be wonderful or terrible, there’s really no middle ground.
    

    HBO Max also has a slew of documentaries, including “Love, Lizzo” (Nov. 24), about the pop superstar’s inspiring life story; “Shaq” (Nov. 23), a four-part docuseries chronicling the rise to superstardom of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal; “Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty” (Nov. 3), a true-crime series about a South Carolina lawyer’s scandalous fall; and “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” (Nov. 8), a film exploring the life, career and social impact of the greatest baseball player who ever played the game.
    

    See more: Here’s everything new coming to HBO Max in November 2022, and what’s leaving
    

    And every week brings new episodes of Season 2 of the very dark vacation comedy “The White Lotus,” Season 3 of “Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler” and Season 2 of the cult documentary “The Vow.”
    

    Who’s HBO Max for? HBO fans and movie lovers.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Pause and think it over. “The White Lotus” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls” are both worth watching, but beyond that it’s kinda “meh” this month. And Max is too pricey for “meh.”
    

    Amazon Prime Video ($14.99 a month)
    

    Amazon
    
        AMZN,
    
        -6.80%
    
       is bringing the star power in November, starting with the Western drama series “The English” (Nov. 11), starring Emily Blunt as an aristocratic Englishwoman who teams with a Pawnee scout (Chaske Spencer) on a mission to cross the violent 1890s American frontier. It looks stylish and bloody — and promising.
    

    Meanwhile, James Corden and Sally Hawkins star in “Mammals” (Nov. 11), a dark comedy series about modern marriage; pop star-turned-actor Harry Styles stars in “My Policeman” (Nov. 4), a drama about forbidden romance that’s getting very “meh” reviews in its theatrical release; and Kristen Bell, Ben Platt and Allison Janney star in “The People We Hate at the Wedding” (Nov. 18), a raunchy comedy set at a dysfunctional family wedding.
    

    More: Here’s what’s coming to Amazon’s Prime Video in November 2022
    

    There’s also NFL Thursday Night Football every week, and new episodes of the intriguing sci-fi drama “The Peripheral,” which is giving very “Westworld”-but-slightly-less-confusing vibes.
    

    Who’s Amazon Prime Video for? Movie lovers, TV-series fans who value quality over quantity.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Pause. There’s good stuff here, but nothing that feels must-see.
    

    Paramount+ ($4.99 a month with ads but not live CBS, $9.99 without ads)
    

    Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone,” “1883,” “Mayor of Kingstown”) has another new series: “Tulsa King” (Nov. 13), starring Sylvester Stallone as a former New York mafia capo who gets freed from prison after 25 years and settles in Tulsa, Okla., to build a criminal empire of his own. Showrunner Terence Winter (“The Sopranos,” “Boardwalk Empire”) knows a thing or two about mob shows, and this one could be good.
    

    Paramount+ also has the spinoff series “Criminal Minds: Evolution” (Nov. 24), about an elite team of FBI profilers unraveling a network of serial killers; the family movie “Fantasy Football” (Nov. 25), about a girl who can magically control how her NFL-player dad performs on the field; and the series finale of “The Good Fight” (Nov. 10), which its creators promise will be “cataclysmic.”
    

    There’s also the Thanksgiving Day Parade (Nov. 24) and a ton of live sports, including college football on Saturdays, NFL football on Sundays (and Thanksgiving Day), and group-stage matches for UEFA’s Champions and Europe leagues.
    

    Who’s Paramount+ for? Gen X cord-cutters who miss live sports and familiar Paramount Global 
    
        PARA,
    
        +3.37%
    
       broadcast and cable shows.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Pause. Besides its solid live-sports lineup, it’s a good time to catch up and binge “The Good Fight,” and “Tulsa King” could be worth a watch too.
    

    Hulu ($7.99 a month with ads, or $14.99 with no ads)
    

    Hulu has a couple of interesting offerings in November, but nothing that screams must-see. Yet, at least.
    

    FX’s “Fleishman Is in Trouble” (Nov. 17) stars Jesse Eisenberg as a newly divorced dad whose promiscuous dive into app-based dating is disrupted when his ex-wife disappears and leaves him with their kids. Claire Danes, Lizzy Caplan and Adam Brody co-star in the eight-episode drama, which is based on Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s best-selling novel.
    

    There’s also “Welcome to Chippendales” (Nov. 22), a true-crime series starring Kumail Nanjiani as the immigrant founder of the 1980s male-stripper franchise, which chronicles his business empire’s rise and fall amid a blizzard of sex, drugs and violence.
    

    Meanwhile, Adam McKay (“The Big Short”) and Billy Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys”) have the documentary  “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty” (Nov. 1), about the private life of Christian televangelist and former Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. and his very public downfall.
    

    See: Here’s everything new on Hulu in November 2022 — and what’s leaving
    

    There are also the final two episodes of “Atlanta” (series finale Nov. 10), whose fourth season has returned to brilliance after an underwhelming Season 3 over the summer, and new episodes every week of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.”
    

    Who’s Hulu for? TV lovers. There’s a deep library for those who want older TV series and next-day streaming of many current network and cable shows.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Stop. While you won’t regret paying for Hulu if you already do, there’s not a lot to lure new subscribers this month.
    

    Apple TV+ ($6.99 a month)
    

    Apple TV+ is too inconsistent to be worth the $2-a-month price hike that was just announced, so it’s best to strategically plan when to stream — wait until a good series or two are completed, for example, and binge them all in a month, then cancel. Repeat as needed.
    

    And it actually is a decent month for Apple. Its second-best comedy, “Mythic Quest” Nov. 11), returns for its third season, with Ian (Rob McElhenny) and Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) gearing up for war against their old videogame company. With a perfect blend of humor and heart, it’s one of the best workplace comedies on TV. 
    

    Meanwhile, Season 2 of “The Mosquito Coast” (Nov. 4) finds the fugitive Fox family finally hiding out in Central America, after a tedious premise-pilot of a first season that wasted good actors (Justin Theroux and Melissa George) and beautiful cinematography with nonsensical plot twists, while the action series “Echo 3” (Nov. 23) stars Luke Evans and Michiel Huisman as former soldiers trying to rescue a kidnapped scientist in the jungles of South America.
    

    Apple
    
        AAPL,
    
        +7.56%
    
      also has a pair of high-profile original movies: “Causeway” (Nov. 3), starring Jennifer Lawrence as a former soldier struggling to adjust to civilian life in New Orleans, co-starring Brian Tyree Henry, and “Spirited” (Nov. 18), a musical twist on “A Christmas Carol” told from the ghosts’ point of view, starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell.
    

    Who’s Apple TV+ for? It offers a little something for everyone, but not necessarily enough for anyone — although it’s getting there.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Stop. There’s just not enough to justify a month-to-month subscription. December is a better bet, with “Mythic Quest” and a new season of “Slow Horses” running concurrently.
    

    Peacock (free basic level, Premium for $4.99 a month with ads, or $9.99 a month with no ads)
    

    The World Cup from Qatar (Nov. 20-Dec. 18) will be broadcast on Fox and FS1, so cord-cutters are out of luck, unless you subscribe to a live-streaming service like Hulu Live or YouTube TV. However, Peacock will stream every match in Spanish, which could be a decent Plan B for soccer fans.
    

    And that “it’ll-do-but-it’s-not-exactly-what-I’m-looking-for” description is the running theme for Peacock. November will bring a handful of originals that are unlikely to move the needle, subscriber-wise: There’s the musical-comedy spinoff series “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin” (Nov. 23), starring Adam Devine; “The Calling” (Nov. 10), a crime drama about a religious cop, from David E. Kelley and Barry Levinson; the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Nov. 24); and the streaming debut of Jordan Poole’s sci-fi/horror hit “Nope” (Nov. 18).
    

    Sports-wise, Peacock has the National Dog Show (hey, it’s a competition!) on Nov. 24, NFL Sunday Night Football every weekend, a full slate of English Premier League matches through Nov. 13, and a ton of golf and winter sports.
    

    Who’s Peacock for? If you have a Comcast 
    
        CMCSA,
    
        -0.06%
    
       or Cox cable subscription, you likely have free access to the Premium tier (with ads) — though reportedly not for much longer. The free tier is almost worthless, but the recent addition of next-day streaming of NBC and Bravo shows (like “Saturday Night Live” and “Real Housewives”) bolsters the case for paying for a subscription. Still, Peacock is still not really necessary unless you need it for sports.
    

    Play, pause or stop? Stop. There’s not a lot that’s particularly enticing right now, even on the sports side.
    

    Discovery+ ($4.99 a month with ads, or $6.99 with no ads)
    

    More of the same in November for Discovery+, which is a feature, not a bug. Highlights include the vegan cook-and-chat show “Mary McCartney Serves It Up” (Nov. 1); “Tut’s Lost City Revealed” (Nov. 3), about a 3,000-year-old Egyptian city recently discovered by archaeologists; “Vardy vs Rooney: The Wagatha Trial” (Nov. 19), the inside story of the tabloid-fodder “Wagatha” scandal between the wives of English soccer stars; and Season 2 of the excellent CNN food series “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” (Nov. 30). Full disclosure: There are also a handful of sappy holiday movies guest-starring some HGTV and Food Network stars, but they look terrible and I expect better from you, a discerning reader/viewer.
    

    Who’s Discovery+ for? Cord-cutters who miss their unscripted TV or who are really, really into “90 Day Fiancé.”
    

    Play, pause or stop?  Stop. Discovery+ is still fantastic for background TV, but it’s not worth the cost. Still, it should add value when the reconfigured Warner Bros. Discovery 
    
        WBD,
    
        +3.68%
    
        combines it with HBO Max next summer.
    

    

    

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    Apple Earnings Are on Deck as Consumer Demand Softens
    
			
    Apple Earnings Are on Deck as Consumer Demand Softens
    
			
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            Apple
    
          
    
        
    
       shares have been remarkably resilient in the face of this year’s tech stock selloff, falling less than 15% since the end of December, and sharply outperforming rivals
    
        
    
          
    
            Microsoft
    
          
    
        
    

            
    
          
    
            Alphabet
    
          
    
        
    
       and
    
        
    
          
    
            Amazon
    
          
    
        
    
       which are all down from 26% to 28%. 
    

    Apple (ticker: AAPL) sits with a $2.4 trillion market valuation—$500 billion more than Microsoft, $1 trillion more than Alphabet, and nearly double the size of Amazon. 
    

    

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