MacBreak Weekly (Audio)

Apple released new 13" and 15" MacBook Airs with their M3 chips. Apple's been hit with a hefty €1.8 billion fine in the EU for breaking music streaming laws. And should you be wearing your Apple Vision Pro at your wedding?

• Apple launches new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip, support for two external displays, faster Wi-Fi.
• How I created the hybrid Mac-iPad laptop and tablet that Apple won't make.
• Apple hit with €1.8bn fine for breaking EU law over music streaming.
• The App Store, Spotify, and Europe's thriving digital music market.
• Tech worker's wife says she didn't want Apple Vision Pro in wedding pictures

Picks of the Week:

• Andy's Pick: The Larry David WWDC 2014 app store video (until it's taken down... again)
• Jason's Picks: Whisky and the Television by Sandwich for Vision Pro
• Alex's Pick: Huanuo monitor arms
• Leo's Pick: Zed

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

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Breaking news: Apple has canceled work on its electric car, shifting the team to work on generative AI instead. Apple gets post-quantum encryption in the iOS 17.4 update. Is Apple's FineWoven case any good? And did Microsoft try to sell its Bing search engine to Apple in 2018?

- Apple cancels work on electric car, shifts team to generative AI.
- Apple iOS 17.4: iMessage gets post-quantum encryption in new update.
- It's apparently easy to crack the Apple Vision Pro's front screen.
- Here's why the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro headset is so expensive.
- Apple's FineWoven iPhone 15 case draws poor reviews, criticism.
- Apple says iPhone 15 batteries have a longer lifespan than initially thought.
- Google says Microsoft offered to sell Bing to Apple in 2018.
- Apple Sports: A free iPhone app to get you the score, fast.
- Simple complexity: Apple's trio of sports apps.
- AppleCare support advisors testing new ChatGPT-like tool 'Ask'.
- Crying in Apple Vision Pro.
- Biden deputy press secretary leaving White House for Apple.
- Major shareholders planning to force Apple to reveal use of AI.

Picks of the Week:
- Jason's Pick: Simple Scan
- Andy's Pick: Solar Eclipse Glasses
- Alex's Pick: Jambar

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

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Zuckerberg gave his thoughts on the Apple Vision Pro headset and firmly believes the Meta Quest 3 is the superior product: what a shock! Apple responds to Meta's plan to charge a 30% fee to advertisers that purchase boosted posts through Apple's App Store. Apple filmed the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the Apple Vision Pro. And Apple finally confirms that you should not use rice to dry out your phone.

• Apple fans are starting to return their Vision Pros
• Apple Vision Pro supports Panavision 70 films.
• Zuckerberg says Quest 3 is 'the better product' vs. Apple's Vision Pro.
• EU to hit Apple with €500mn penalty in first ever music streaming fine.
• Apple responds to Meta's plan to charge 30% fee on boosted posts purchased through App Store.
• There's another fake cypto app on the App Store.
• Supreme Court sides with Apple in $503M VirnetX lawsuit, ending decade-long battle.
• Cox Communications wins order overturning $1 bln US copyright verdict.
• Rice is not included in Apple's official guidance for a wet phone.
• NBA Slam Dunk Contest filmed for Apple Vision Pro.
• Usher takes fans behind-the-scenes of 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show in Apple Music mini-doc.
• Apple Vision Pro 2 release date sooner than expected, insider claims.
• Apple in 2023: The Six Colors report card.
• Gruber: Apple was 'effectively forced' by China to bring RCS to iPhone.
• Analyzing Apple Vision Pro as an accessibility engineer.
• Apple Music Replay updated with monthly stats views, 2024 Replay Mix available starting today.

Picks of the Week:

• Alex's Pick: Animoog Galaxy
• Jason's Pick: Logitech Circle View Camera
• Leo's Pick: Think Python 3rd edition
• Andy's Pick: Nimona
  

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

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Jason published his review of the Apple Vision Pro on sixcolors.com! Are there privacy concerns when using the Apple Vision Pro? Jon Stewart says Apple canceled his show because of "things that might get me in trouble." And iOS 17.4 adds a 'virtual card number' feature to Apple Cash.

• Apple Vision Pro review: Eyes on the future.
• Apple shares an in-depth look at Vision Pro privacy in new paper.
• The Vision Pro's scary side effect: Apple's new VR goggles may rewire our brains in some unexpected ways.
• Seeing the World through Digital Prisms: psychological implications of passthrough video usage in mixed reality.
• Apple iMessage, Microsoft Bing dodge EU's big tech crackdown.
• FCC commissioner wants to investigate Apple over Beeper Mini shutdown.
• Jon Stewart says Apple TV+ canceled his show because 'They didn't want me to say things that might get me in trouble.'
• Apple overhauls its entire Windows app suite, including iCloud and Apple Music.
• Apple made an AI image tool that lets you make edits by describing them.
• iOS 17.4 adds new 'Virtual Card Number' feature to Apple Cash.
• Apple releases a new 15-minute short film, shot on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
• $300 Vision Pro developer strap is just an expensive USB2 device.
• The Apple Vision Pro Developer Strap is Thunderbolt capable, not USB 2.0 only.

Picks of the Week:

• Leo's Pick: A built-in workaround for applications hiding under the MacBook Pro notch.
• Jason's Pick: Dial M for Murder
• Andy's Pick: Superlist
• Alex's Pick: Stalman Clamp

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

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Jason, Alex, and guest Ray Maxwell have spent time with their Apple Vision Pros and share their thoughts on the device so far. Who would have thought the Vision Pro would scratch easily in a durability test? And an OLED iPad Pro is rumored to come out later this year with an expected price increase, but how much will the price of the iPad go to?

• Jason Snell, Alex Lindsay, and guest Ray Maxwell share their thoughts on the Vision Pro after spending the weekend with the device.
• This hospital system just bought 30 Vision Pro units and launched a new 'Spatial Computing Center of Excellence'.
• Apple Vision Pro front glass easily scratched in durability test.
• How to get an Apple Vision Pro demonstration.
• Apple reports nearly $120B quarter: full charts.
• Apple quadrupled its autonomous driving testing miles last year.
• OLED iPad Pro price increase won't be as painful as initially rumored.
• "Just peer-reviewed a forensic analysis in a case. The suspect mailed a package with a hidden Apple AirTag in it to a victim's old home address..."

Picks of the Week:

• Jason's Picks: Juno and Runestone for Vision Pro
• Andy's Pick: Ensemble for Vision Pro
• Alex's Pick: Jig Space

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

Guest: Ray Maxwell

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly.

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The first official reviews of Apple's Vision Pro headset have started coming in! How Apple's announcement of its plans to comply with Europe's Digital Markets Act is sitting with various developers. Meta is welcoming Apple to the headset market. And Apple's next-generation CarPlay is launching in 2024.

• Reviews of the Apple Vision Pro headset.
• Apple aims to run AI models directly on iPhones, other devices.
• Tim Sweeney's response to how Apple is complying to the EU's Digital Markets Act.
• Apple's deliciously dripping with disdain press release.
• Mozilla says Apple's new browser rules are 'as painful as possible' for Firefox.
• Meta Welcomes headset war with Apple.
• Apple Card tops 12 million users, $1bn in cashback paid out last year.
• Apple Confirms next-generation CarPlay launching in 2024, reveals new features in iOS 17.4 beta.
  
  Picks of the Week:
• Andy's Pick: Strada
• Alex's Pick: Prompt3
• Jason's Pick: Numbers

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

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Stephen Robles from the Primary Technology podcast joins the show to talk about his experience ordering the Apple Vision Pro headset and the accessories he got for it. Following Netflix's lead, YouTube and Spotify won't launch Vision Pro apps. iOS 17.3 is out now, adding a Stolen Device Protection feature to iPhones. And Apple TV+ gains 13 Oscar nominations for 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and 'Napoleon.'

• The Mac turns 40: read Apple's announcement from 1984.
• Apple has already sold up to 180,000 Vision Pro headsets.
• YouTube and Spotify Won't launch Apple Vision Pro apps, joining Netflix.
• Apple dials back car's self-driving features and delays launch to 2028.
• Daring Fireball: 'Like the Sixth Finger in an AI-Rendered Hand'
• iOS 17.3 is out, adding Stolen Device Protection for your iPhone.
• About the security content of macOS Sonoma 14.3.
• Apple Music will now pay 10% higher royalties to artists for Spatial Audio music.
• watchOS 10.3 now available with new 'Unity Bloom' Apple Watch face.
• Apple TV+ scores 13 Oscar nominations for 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and 'Napoleon'

Picks of the Week:

• Andy's Pick: Black Ink for iOS
• Stephen's Picks: Mapper & the Anker Qi2 MagSafe Battery Pack
• Jason's Pick: Sleeve 2
• Leo's Pick: Death Stranding Director's Cut.

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

Guest: Stephen Robles

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Apple lays down the foundation for the viewing experience you can achieve with the Apple Vision Pro when it releases in February. Wanda Austin joins Apple's board of directors as Al Gore & James Bell retire. And Apple TV+ scores an Emmy with its true crime drama miniseries, Black Bird.

• How to buy Apple Vision Pro: $3,499 device to go on sale Feb. 2.
• Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro ushers in a new era of storytelling innovation and immersive entertainment.
• Apple previews new entertainment experiences launching with Apple Vision Pro.
• Supreme Court upholds Apple vs. Epic ruling, Apple must allow app developers to link to other payment systems.
• Apple request for Epic App Store review denied by US Supreme Court.
• Apple grabs the top spot in the smartphone market in 2023 along with record high market share, according to IDC tracker.
• Apple Board of Directors shuffle sees Al Gore & James Bell retire.
• Wanda Austin to join Apple's board of directors.
• Redesigned Apple Watches not subject to import ban, U.S. Customs says.
• Beeper users say Apple is now blocking their Macs from using iMessage entirely.
• NanoRaptor: "For Niklaus Wirth, 1934-2024. ..."
• OLED iPad production underway for reported spring launch.
• PSA: Warn your non-techy friends about fake AppleCoin ads.
• Black Bird' scores Apple TV+ it's sole major Emmy award.
• The incredible shrinking podcast industry.
  
  Picks of the Week:
• Jason & Andy's Pick: BBEdit 15
• Alex's Pick: MimoLive

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly.

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The wild rumor from last week was true: Apple's Vision Pro headset has a release date set now! Did Apple intentionally put a back door in its last five iPhones? An iPhone survives a 16,000-foot fall from an airplane. And if you signed up for the settlement payment, your 'Batterygate' payment will come soon.

• Apple Vision Pro available in the U.S. on February 2.
• Did Apple intentionally put a back door in the last 5 iPhones?
• Apple rejects 37Signals calendar app.
• AirTag 2 not expected until 2025 as Apple sits on backlog of first-gen inventory.
• iPhone survives 16,000-foot fall after door plug blows off Alaska Air flight 1282.
• Apple starts sending $92 'Batterygate' settlement payments to iPhone users.
• China says it cracked Apple AirDrop to identify message sources.
• Apple unveils first iPhone on Jan. 9, 2007.

Picks of the Week:

• Andy's Pick: Photosweeper X
• Alex's Pick: The Solar System: An Illustrated Guide to Our Home in Space
• Jason's Pick: SwiftBar 2.0

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly.

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The Series 9 & Ultra 2 watches are available for purchase again from the Apple Store for the time being after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit placed a short pause on the ban's enforcement. In the meantime, Apple is pursuing a software fix to avoid another import ban on its watches. A new iPad did not get shipped in 2023. And could the Vision Pro be released in late January / early February?

• Apple wins temporary reprieve from the ban on Apple Watch sales.
• Apple still pursuing software fix to avoid Apple Watch import ban.
• The entrepreneur who bet his company on a fight with Apple.
• My Touch ID button is fully deconstructed.
• 4-year campaign backdoored iPhones using possibly the most advanced exploit ever.
• Apple warnings of possible government hacking drew ire of Indian officials.
• Apple just broke a tradition it held for 12 years.
• Vision Pro release date: Everything we know.

Picks of the Week:

• Alex's Pick: Ugreen Tire Inflator
• Andy's Pick: Cabel Sasser's Archive of Vintage DAK Catalogues
• Jason's Pick: Squaring the Circle - The Story of Hipgnosis

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly.

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