In case you missed events and exciting news from the world of Apple this week, check out this roundup of top stories, so you’re all caught up with everything Apple.
This week, we saw Italian regulators slap Apple with a couple of hefty fines for collusion and aggressive commercial use of customer data. We also witnessed Apple sue the creator of Pegasus spyware, NSO Group, for targeting iPhone users. Meanwhile, rumor has it that TSMC will produce Apple 5G modem for the upcoming iPhones, and Qualcomm’s exclusivity deal with Microsoft is the reason why there is no Windows for Apple Silicon Macs. Not to mention, this was the Black Friday weekend, and we saw several great deals on Apple products, which we cataloged for you.
Apple Sues ‘Pegasus’ Spyware Creator NSO Group for Targeting iPhone Users
To protect its customers, Apple has sought a permanent injunction against Israeli firm NSO Group and its parent organizations to ban them from using any Apple products and services. The spyware company has created several popular iPhone and Mac tools recently used to target and spy on journalists and high-ranking government officials. Apple said it would inform a small number of iPhone users who the NSO Group’s exploit has targeted. The iPhone maker will also do so for other state-sponsored spyware attacks that it uncovers.
Apple didn’t miss the opportunity to highlight in its press release that “other mobile platforms” have 15x more malware infections than iOS. Apple highlighted the security features that iOS 15 offers and that the company has “not observed any evidence of successful remote attacks against devices running iOS 15.”
TSMC Will Manufacture Apple’s 5G Modem for 2023 iPhone
Earlier this week, a supply chain report said Apple is “forging a closer partnership” with TSMC to manufacture 5G modems for the 2023 iPhones. Citing for anonymous people aware of the matter, the report claimed that TSMC’s 4nm node will be used to make the modems, although production is currently trailing on the 5nm node. Additionally, Apple will reportedly be building its own RF and millimeter wave components, and its own power management chip for the modem.
Presently, Apple is heavily reliant on Qualcomm for the modems. By developing its own, the iPhone maker would reduce its dependency. Like all other chips Apple has developed, it would allow the company to further optimize the modem for superior performance and efficiency. Apple is expected to reach an expensive settlement with Qualcomm in 2019.
Best Apple Black Friday Deals for 2021
This is the Black Friday weekend, and it would be remiss to gloss over the fantastic deals on various Apple products. We couldn’t find any great deals on the iPad mini, but there are ample options to choose from if you’re in the market for an iPad Air or iPad Pro. Carriers including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile also offer great value deals on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12. Some variants of the Apple Watch Series 7, Series 6, and Apple Watch SE are also on discount at Amazon, B&H Photo Video, and Best Buy.
Qualcomm-Microsoft Exclusivity Deal Could Be Why Apple Silicon-Powered Macs Don’t Support Windows
With Bootcamp, Intel-based Macs could switch between macOS and Windows. However, Apple M1 chips do not support the utility. Some months ago, a Microsoft executive said the company wouldn’t support Windows 11 natively or through virtualization on Apple Silicon Macs. According to XDA Developers, this could be because Qualcomm and Microsoft have an exclusivity deal that restricts windows to Qualcomm processors. However, this deal is likely to expire soon.
Although it isn’t known when the deal expires, the two companies could renew it. The possibility is further corroborated by Qualcomm’s recent announcement to launch an Apple Silicon competitor by 2023. On the contrary, Microsoft is reportedly working on its ARM-based chips, which could force it to cut this deal with Qualcomm to use Windows on its chips.
Italy’s Watchdog Slaps Apple with Two fines for Colluding with Amazon, Using Customer Data Commercially
Earlier this week, the Italian antitrust authority fined Apple and Amazon €200 million collectively for colluding for selling Apple and Beats products. A 2018 agreement between the two firms only allowed selected retailers to sell Apple and Beats merchandise in Italy, violating the EU’s regulations. The agreement also intended to limit cross-border sales through Amazon. Apple has appealed against the fine.
The Italian antitrust regulator separately fined Apple another $11 million (€10 million) for “aggressive practices” pertaining to commercial use of user data. The regulator claimed that Apple collects, profiles, and exploits user data to boost sales through the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple books. Google was also fined for this since the watchdog discovered that the companies don’t make it clear to the user that their data will be used commercially. Apple was also fined €10 million last year, over misleading claims about the iPhone’s water resistance.
Other Top Apple Stories This Week:
- Apple Temporarily Halts Sales in Turkey Amid Economic Crisis
- Apple Could Sell 10 Million iPhones during the Black Friday Weekend
- Spotify Testing TikTok-Style Vertical Video Feed Called ‘Discover’
- Apple’s ‘Saving Simon’ Holiday Ad Is Shot Entirely on iPhone 13 Pro
- Tim Cook Explains Why Apple Launched the Self Service Repair Program
- Apple Temporarily Stops Sales in Turkey Due to Economic Crisis
- iPhone and iPad Shipping Times Slide in Asia Ahead of Christmas
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