Comment: Is Trump’s claim about Apple building new plants all hype?
President Trump claimed in a WSJ interview that Tim Cook has promised to build three large manufacturing plants in the U.S. – without specifying when this might happen, where they might be located or what they might make.
“I spoke to [Mr. Cook], he’s promised me three big plants—big, big, big,” Mr. Trump said as part of a discussion about business-tax reform and business investment. “I said you know, Tim, unless you start building your plants in this country, I won’t consider my administration an economic success. He called me, and he said they are going forward.”
But there is every reason to doubt this, no persuasive reason to believe it – and little basis for believing it would matter much even if it were true …
Apple worked with hearing-aid firms on direct connection to iPhones, with free licensing
A report on the latest cochlear implants from hearing-aid manufacturer Cochlear has revealed that Apple worked on Bluetooth protocols for direct connection to iPhones – and now licenses it to manufacturers free of charge.
Cochlear implants are used by people who are profoundly deaf, and need to be surgically implanted into the ear. They usually connect to phones via an external device, which are quite obtrusive. What Apple has developed in conjunction with manufacturers of the devices is to eliminate that intermediary device, allowing direct connection to an iPhone …
Jony Ive shares new details about Apple Park in WSJ interview, design team moves to new offices in the fall
In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple’s design chief Jony Ive details various elements of Apple Park including a few tidbits we haven’t heard before. Ive’s interview will be the cover story on the WSJ Magazine’s August issue.
Although the piece does not say when Apple Park will be fully up and running, it does say that Ive’s design team will move over in the fall, scheduled as ‘one of the last’. This suggests that Apple is aiming to have all employees at Apple Park by the end of the year.
Niantic blames carriers for Chicago GO Fest failure; says other festivals will go ahead
After Niantic’s Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago turned into something of a disaster – with many attendees unable to use the game at all, and others unable to login or suffering crashes – the company has laid most of the blame at the feet of carriers …
Google’s Trusted Contacts introduces cross-platform Find My Friends functionality, with more control
Apple’s Find My Friends app can be a really useful way to share your location with your partner, family and friends, but it relies on everyone having an iOS device. Google has just solved that problem by bringing its Trusted Contacts app to iPhone. The app first launched on Android last year.
In addition to working across platforms, it also offers an additional level of control …
Judge orders Apple to pay University of Wisconsin $507M for infringing on chip efficiency patent
Apple today has been ordered by a U.S. judge to pay $507 million in damages to the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s patent licensing arm for patent infringement. The ruling comes after the case’s jury ruled Apple owed $234 million, making the judge’s decision nearly double that of the jury (via Reuters).
Apple ad VP talks App Store Search Ads, better metrics for developers, & more in new interview
At the Postback conference last week in Seattle, Apple’s vice president of advertising Todd Teresi sat down with TUNE to discuss the company’s continued efforts in analytics and and mobile measurement. Teresi discussed how Apple plans to continue working with developers to improve metrics in the App Store, and more.
Rumor: Apple may be entering trial production of all 2017 iPhone models, iPhone 8 ‘not delayed’
While a handful of reports and analysts have indicated the iPhone 8 won’t launch as scheduled this year due to production difficulties, Twitter leaker Benjamin Geskin today claims that the device is not delayed and has recently entered trial production…
Trump claims Tim Cook has pledged Apple will build three ‘big’ U.S. manufacturing plants
Last week we reported that Apple’s spending on lobbying has risen to record highs since Trump took office. Now there is news that President Trump’s lobbying of his own – to get Apple to bring manufacturing stateside – has been successful…at least according to Trump.
Google Chrome for macOS adds Touch Bar support in version 60, rolling out now
Version 60 of Google Chrome is rolling out now to macOS with the long awaited Touch Bar support. This release also adds support for a number of developer-focused features, including the Payment Request API and an updated Credential Management API.