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Apple has been under scrutiny in Germany for three years because of its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. This feature lets iPhone users choose not to have their activities tracked across different apps.

The German competition authority, Bundeskartellamt, has now shared its initial thoughts, suggesting that Apple’s ATT rules might not be fair. They say that while third-party apps must follow these strict rules, Apple’s own apps do not have to.

In their latest statement, the Bundeskartellamt pointed out that since ATT was introduced in April 2021, app makers in the iOS App Store need special permission from users to use their data for ads. However, these same strict rules don’t apply to Apple’s apps.

According to the Bundeskartellamt, this could be against German competition laws for big tech companies and even broader European Union competition rules. They argue that Apple is applying different privacy standards to itself compared to other app developers.

Apple has now been allowed to reply to these concerns raised by the German authority.

Interestingly, while ATT was initially seen as a headache for big advertising apps like those from Meta (formerly known as Facebook), it has turned out to be beneficial. Meta has managed to enhance its advertising strategies, using AI to target users more accurately without relying on broad third-party data tracking.

This situation in Germany highlights ongoing debates about how tech giants manage user data and privacy, setting a precedent for how privacy policies might be enforced in the future.

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With whispers of new Apple product reveals just around the corner, I’ve been thinking about what could be coming up this Friday. According to Mark Gurman, Apple is set to give the media an update on the Apple Vision Pro this Friday.

Here are some guesses I had before:

• New M5 Chip – No M5 products have been announced yet, but they’re apparently in production. Maybe Vision Pro will be the first to get it, like how the M4 came with the iPad Pro.
• Apple Intelligence Support – Vision Pro has enough RAM for this, but maybe all the memory is already being used. They might increase the RAM.
• PSVR Controller Support – Gurman says it’s happening, but it won’t shake things up much.

Now, I’m thinking about another big change: a price cut. It would be a great piece of news to share on a Friday evening.

Apple has always defended the $3,500 price tag by saying you’re buying into the future. But Susan Prescott’s recent statement – “for now, the price is what the price is” – hints that this might not be the final word.

Apple doesn’t usually lower prices before new models come out, but the cost of Vision Pro has been its biggest barrier. There’s history here; they reduced the price of the first iPhone by $200 shortly after it came out.

Would a price drop on the Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499, make a big impact? Maybe not a huge one, but any reduction helps. They could also offer more storage for the same price. However, since there’s no shortage of stock, even this seems up in the air. Still, my bet is that we’ll see some kind of price adjustment for the Apple Vision Pro this Friday. It’s speculative, but it’s something to think about.

If you’ve got digital content spread across two Apple accounts, there’s good news! Apple has introduced a feature allowing you to move all your digital purchases from one account to another, making it simpler to manage your collection.

Apple recently updated its support page with easy-to-follow steps on how to transfer apps, music, books, TV shows, and movies from a secondary Apple account to your main one. This can be particularly handy if you’ve been juggling separate accounts for iCloud storage and media purchases.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Preparation: You’ll need the email addresses, phone numbers, and passwords for both accounts. Both must have two-factor authentication enabled, and neither should be shared with others. The account you use for iCloud will become your primary account, and the one for media purchases will be your secondary account.
• Setup: On your iPhone or iPad, sign into one account for iCloud and another for purchases. Ensure both accounts are registered in the same country and check that the secondary account doesn’t have any remaining balance that needs to be used.
• Migration Process: Navigate to the Settings app, go to ‘Media & Purchases’, click on ‘View Account’, and then select ‘Migrate Purchases’. This process will transfer all your content from the secondary to the primary account.

After migration, you won’t be able to make purchases with the secondary account anymore; you’ll need to use your primary account on all your Apple devices. All payment methods and subscriptions from the secondary account will move over to the primary one, and any saved queues in Apple TV or podcast libraries will also switch over, potentially replacing existing content.

Please note, this account migration feature isn’t available in the European Union, the United Kingdom, or India at this time.

Before you start, it’s wise to review Apple’s guidelines on what happens during the migration and how to reverse it if needed. This way, you can ensure you’re making the best choice for managing your digital content.

A week ago, Apple surprised everyone by launching a new app and service named “Invites.” However, this launch has led to some unfair criticism about Apple’s approach to apps, suggesting they operate like Google does with its apps.

Google is well-known for starting new apps and services but then either shutting them down or merging them into something else. A good example is Google Podcasts, which didn’t last long. There’s practically a “graveyard” of Google apps that didn’t make it.

After the launch of Invites, some people started to think Apple does the same thing with its apps. But is that really true?

Not Dead Yet

Take the Apple Sports app, for example. It’s been around for a year now, and it keeps getting better. People love it so much they’re asking for a widget for their phones. It’s clear this app isn’t just left to die; it’s growing in popularity.

Then there’s the Journal app, which first appeared with iOS 17.2 in December 2023. By the time iOS 18 rolled out, the app had a significant update to version 2.0, bringing new features like search, sort options, audio transcripts, and more. The only thing missing is an iPad version, not updates.

Apple Music Classical, initially iPhone-only, expanded to include an iPad app and added features like album booklets. It even got a CarPlay app and Siri support.

Music Memos’ Legacy

Music Memos was an app for musicians to record their tunes. It lasted for five years before Apple decided to enhance the built-in Voice Memos app instead. Now, Voice Memos can record two tracks at once, which is great for songwriters who use voice and guitar.

Clips in the Classroom

Apple Clips isn’t dead either. It’s thriving in educational settings with features like royalty-free music and templates that teachers can use in their lessons. Instead of abandoning it, maybe Apple should focus on making a simpler video editing app like CapCut, but without the ByteDance connection.

Looking Ahead for Invites

The future of the Invites app might include tight integration with the Calendar app and could come pre-installed on new iPhones. Its success will depend on turning users into iCloud+ subscribers and having a strong advocate within Apple, similar to how Apple Sports has been championed.

In summary, Apple’s so-called “hobby apps” aren’t just side projects; they’re part of a broader strategy where apps are nurtured, updated, and sometimes transformed to better serve users.