Sir Apfelot newsreel week 39, 2023

Another week of Apple news comes to an end. After the new iPhones and watches as well as some new operating systems, this week there was now macOS Sonoma as an upgrade for compatible Macs. But there was also interesting Apple and tech news outside of this content. You can read about the ones that caught my eye in calendar week 39 of 2023 in this Sir Apfelot newsreel. The following reports are included: Fraud with PayPal calls continues, Amazon accused of monopoly methods, Google with negative headlines about Bard, Apple deals and YouTube subscriptions, Apple with system updates, cleaning instructions and hot, but not very green iPhones .

By the way: Our podcast is now also available as a video on YouTube. Will we see you there???

Sir Apfelot as a podcast

If you enjoy both the Sir Apfelot Blog and podcasts, then you should check out the Sir Apfelot Podcast. Lynne and Jens address interesting topics and throw their own experiences and opinions into the mix.

Here are the different platforms where you can listen to the two:

• Sir Apfelot Podcast on Let's Cast
• Sir Apfelot Podcast at Apple Podcasts
• Sir Apfelot Podcast on Spotify
• Sir Apfelot Podcast on Amazon Music
• Sir Apfelot Podcast on YouTube

Fraud in the name of PayPal: Alleged debit is intended to elicit data

Anyone who receives a call (supposedly) from PayPal and is told by a computer voice that a suspicious debit has been made from their account should hang up immediately. Because the scam through which data is to be accessed, which has been known since July 2023 at the latest, is still spreading. A friend recently told me that she received calls like this several times over several days. Especially now that Christmas is slowly approaching and online orders are increasing, you should be aware of scams.

I stumbled across it again this week and found several reports straight away - warnings from consumer advice centers, the police, various advice programs on television, etc. The scam is that a phone call creates panic about someone else's booking and then directly a data set is requested – access data such as email address and password, for example. You shouldn't fall for this, don't press any buttons, don't say anything, just hang up and then check the PayPal app or the PayPal website to see if there is actually a problem. (Sources: 1, 2, 3)

Years-long process? Federal Trade Commission is suing Amazon

Together with 17 state attorneys general, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Amazon this week for illegally maintaining its monopoly position. The official press release states in the introduction (translated): “Amazon's ongoing illegal behavior blocks competition and allows the company to exercise its monopoly power to drive up prices, degrade quality, and stifle innovation for consumers and businesses.“Not only the 172-page indictment, but also the general attempt to break up the monopoly of a company that is “too big to fail” points to a process that could drag on for years. (Sources: 1, 2, 3)

Easy as pie: Read strangers' conversations with Bard via Google search

Just last week that was what this was aboutthat Google's AI chatbot “Bard” has received new functions and has also received an update for the offer in Germany. Less than a week later, there was direct criticism of the service. If you use the search “site:bard.google.com/share/” in any search engine, you will see (shared) Bard chats that you can access, read in full and, if necessary, even continue. Anyone who uses Bard should definitely pay attention to the privacy and sharing settings. The same applies to Google Drive. Unfortunately, “site:drive.google.com” also works all too well. (Sources: 1, 2)

Update: Google appears to have intervened here and removed conversations with Bard from search. Currently you can no longer find any results with the search mentioned above.

The Google and Apple search engine cartel under scrutiny

Why is Google the default search engine in Safari? Why can't you change this when setting up a new Apple device? And is Google preferred because of quality or because of high payments? These and other questions are currently being clarified in a court case in the USA. On Tuesday, Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services, testified. He recently negotiated a deal with Google CEO Sundar Pichai for billions in payments for special treatment.

The The Verge There was not only background information, but also a summary of the top manager's public statements. There was discussion about why Google is set as the default, whether it is too inconvenient for users to set another search engine as the default, and so on. It was also shown that in 2003 Apple offered Safari, the first web browser that triggered a Google search in the URL line if no URL was entered. Based on the negotiation, it is not surprising that as of iOS 17 for regular and private tabs in Safari different search engines can be specified. (Other sources: 1, 2)

Probably no more chance of a “YouTube Premium Lite” subscription

Although not in Germany, the “YouTube Premium Lite” subscription was tested on Google’s video platform in other countries. This removed the advertising on the YouTube website and in the YouTube mobile app. However, there were no additional functions of the “YouTube Premium” subscription (without “Lite”), such as YouTube Music. It represented a useful alternative for everyone who can do without the music on offer.

The test of the ad-free subscription, which costs 6,99 euros per month and offers a cheaper alternative to the 11,99 euro overall package, will be discontinued in the test regions in October 2023. The hope of being able to use ad-free YouTube cheaper in this country can be given up for the time being. My tips on the Mac: either use the “Adblock Pro” plugin in Safari or for individual videos use the iWork tricksystem. (Which)

Shortly after iOS 17 upgrade: Apple releases iOS 17.0.1 and 17.0.2

It didn't take long for the latest iPhone operating system to need a few security updates. There are also corresponding security updates for iPadOS 17 on the iPad and for watchOS 10 on the Apple Watch. Updates are also available for previous systems (iOS and iPadOS 16.7, watchOS 9.6.3, etc.) for those on the Mac macOS is coming can look for version 13.6. If you use Monterey, look for version 12.7. There is not yet a version above 14.0 for Sonoma.

But why do these many small system updates deserve a place in the Sir Apfelot newsreel? Because they once again close critical security gaps, for example in the kernel of the respective system. But the sandbox function of the systems, services such as Game Center and ColorSync, biometric authentication and the like are also affected. If you are interested in the details, you can find the links to the individual update information in the official Apple table. Also check the settings of your devices to load the new system versions.

Apple expands its cleaning instructions to include information about the iPhone 15 Pro (Max)

The new titanium housing of the Pro models from the iPhone 15 series is a topic of conversation and debate in many places. Does it scratch so quickly or not? Does it only change color temporarily or permanently if you don't use it with freshly washed hands? At least Apple now addresses the latter question in its support document HT207123 .

In the English original it says (translated): “On iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, oil from your skin can temporarily change the color of the sides of the case. Wiping your iPhone with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth will restore its original appearance." In the German version The reference is currently missing from the document.

iPhone 15 (Pro) is said to overheat more often than average

All four models from the new iPhone 15 series are said to struggle with overheating in different situations. There should be noticeable heat radiation both when using the quick charging function and when simply using chat and social media apps away from the charging cable. Ian Zelbo from the 9to5Mac team found his iPhone 15 Pro Max almost too hot to keep without a case when fast charging - especially between 25% and 60% battery.

A YouTuber also measured up to 46,7°C with a thermal imaging camera on the body of his iPhone 15 during benchmark tests and video games. According to a summary report, the problems extend beyond the setup phase of the devices, where they cause a high load due to many background processes. Even after the system and apps have completed their setup and indexing processes, the heat problem is said to persist. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the problems are due to compromises in heat dissipation. (Sources: 1, 2, 3)

Apple's green path: marketing for environmentally conscious people or honest motives?

During the presentation of the new iPhones and Apple Watches on the 12. September 2023 Apple has included a short film in which actress Octavia Spencer plays the role of “mother Nature“ took over. It mentioned major efforts and numbers that were intended to stylize Apple as a company with a low carbon footprint. This week I'm over one CNET article by examining these statements, comparing them with the competition and classifying them in the current marketing landscape.

Apple ensures the use of “clean” energy within its own company and among its suppliers. However, not a single one of the latter uses 100% renewable energy. Apple still sees itself as a pioneer here, because e.g. B. Smartphone competitor Samsung does not look so much at suppliers and continues to run large parts of its production with energy from fossil fuels, such as coal. Nevertheless: the iPhone 15 Pro has a larger carbon footprint than the iPhone 2 Pro.

The biggest problem, however, remains the device upgrade cycle. Actually, we don't need a new iPhone generation every year. If Apple were serious about protecting the environment, there would be a change in thinking. Until then, as the CNET article summarizes, at least parts of Apple's statements are not evidence of real effort, but rather marketing for a (more or less) environmentally conscious target group.

Johannes Domke

[On vacation] After graduating from high school, Johannes completed training as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which led to his independence. He has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others, for several years now. His articles include product introductions, news, instructions, video games, consoles and much more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.