theverge--2020-06-19--Disney Plus no longer offers free trials, just before Hamilton release

Disney Plus has appeared to have quietly stopped offering new subscribers a free seven-day trial of the streaming service , as spotted by French pop culture site Numerama .
It the free trial offer seems to be no longer available in the United States — there ’ s no mention of it anymore on the streaming site , and attempting to sign up for a new account will simply direct users to begin payments immediately for the service .
“ We continue to test and evaluate different marketing , offers , and promotions to grow Disney+ .
The service was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we believe delivers a compelling entertainment offering on its own , ” said a Disney Plus spokesperson in a statement to The Verge .
It ’ s not clear when Disney removed the ability to try out Disney Plus for free , but the timing does sense , given that Disney is just weeks away from releasing what might be the single most anticipated title on the service yet : the recording of the Broadway production of Hamilton , set to debut on the service on July 3rd .
You ’ ll have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamilton Without a free trial , anyone who wants to watch Hamilton when it ’ s out will have to pay for at least one month of Disney Plus ( which costs $ 6.99 , or $ 12.99 for the more prominently advertised bundle that also includes Hulu and ESPN Plus ) — customers that Disney is presumably hoping will turn into long term subscriptions .
Disney Plus has amassed over 50 million subscribers worldwide since it launched last fall , helped in part by international rollouts in the UK , India , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , France , and Switzerland .
Update June 19th , 1:12pm : Added statement from Disney on the removal of the free trial .

Disney Plus has appeared to have quietly stopped offering new subscribers a free seven-day trial of the streaming service, as spotted by French pop culture site Numerama.
It the free trial offer seems to be no longer available in the United States — there’s no mention of it anymore on the streaming site, and attempting to sign up for a new account will simply direct users to begin payments immediately for the service.
“We continue to test and evaluate different marketing, offers, and promotions to grow Disney+. The service was set at an attractive price-to-value proposition that we believe delivers a compelling entertainment offering on its own,” said a Disney Plus spokesperson in a statement to The Verge.
It’s not clear when Disney removed the ability to try out Disney Plus for free, but the timing does sense, given that Disney is just weeks away from releasing what might be the single most anticipated title on the service yet: the recording of the Broadway production of Hamilton, set to debut on the service on July 3rd.
You’ll have to pay for a subscription to watch Hamilton
Without a free trial, anyone who wants to watch Hamilton when it’s out will have to pay for at least one month of Disney Plus (which costs $6.99, or $12.99 for the more prominently advertised bundle that also includes Hulu and ESPN Plus) — customers that Disney is presumably hoping will turn into long term subscriptions.
Disney Plus has amassed over 50 million subscribers worldwide since it launched last fall, helped in part by international rollouts in the UK, India, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, France, and Switzerland.


theverge--2020-06-19--Google Meet now has a ‘meet.new’ shortcut for quickly starting new video conferences

Google is expanding its .new browser shortcuts to Google Meet , its video conferencing service that the company has heavily @ @ @ @ @ to a huge influx of users looking to stay connected in COVID-19 quarantines , via @ @ @ @ @ ’ s docs.new , sheets.new , or slide.new shortcuts , typing “ meet.new ” into @ @ @ @ @ a new Google Meet session .
It ’ s a small addition , but a @ @ @ @ @ uses the tool a lot .
Additionally , like with the Google Docs shortcuts , @ @ @ @ @ designate between multiple accounts , so you could create a menubar bookmark of “ meet.new/1 @ @ @ @ @ , and “ meet.new/2 ” for work .
Google first launches its .new shortcuts back @ @ @ @ @ Suite tools ; last year , the company announced that it would be expanding the @ @ @ @ @ including Spotify ( playlist.new ) .

Google is expanding its .new browser shortcuts to Google Meet, its video conferencing service that the company has heavily expanded in recent months due to a huge influx of users looking to stay connected in COVID-19 quarantines, via 9to5Google.
Like the company’s docs.new, sheets.new, or slide.new shortcuts, typing “meet.new” into your browser will automatically open a new Google Meet session. It’s a small addition, but a useful one for anyone who uses the tool a lot.
Additionally, like with the Google Docs shortcuts, users can append numbers to designate between multiple accounts, so you could create a menubar bookmark of “meet.new/1” for your personal account, and “meet.new/2” for work.


theverge--2020-06-19--Guinness reverses decision to strip Billy Mitchell’s Pac-Man and Donkey Kong records

Guinness World Records has reversed its 2018 decision to strip Billy Mitchell of his Pac-Man and Donkey Kong world records , according to Ars Technica , in what is the latest twist in a long story about the notorious arcade game master at the center of documentary The King of Kong : A Fistful of Quarters .
This means that , according to Guinness , Mitchell is once again the first to achieve a perfect score on Pac-Man ( totaling 3,333,360 points ) and the first to reach 1 million points on Donkey Kong .
The controversy around Mitchell ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guinness stands alone in recognizing Mitchell ’ s scores , as Twin Galaxies International Scoreboard — an organization that also audits and awards records — is sticking with its decision to not recognize them .
Mitchell set the Pac-Man score in 1999 and the Donkey Kong one in 2005 .
But those records faced scrutiny after people in the community discovered that Mitchell set them on video game cabinets that were running arcade emulation software MAME .
Twin Galaxies initiated an investigation , and despite finding inconclusive evidence that he cheated , stripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Records followed suit shortly after .
Mitchell ultimately sued Twin Galaxies this year for libel , and threatened to sue Guinness .
The Twin Galaxies lawsuit is still ongoing .
Guinness World Records editor Craig Glenday said in a video released Thursday that “ existing evidence and newly sourced eyewitness testimony , plus some new expert gameplay analyses and hardware verification ” was reviewed before reversing the decision .
“ In the end , we found that there just wasn ’ t sufficient evidence to support the disqualification across the board , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Guinness ’ decision was “ a long time coming , ” and that he knew about it as far back as December , but that the announcement was delayed because the two parties were wrapping up a “ legal agreement ” that he could not elaborate on .
Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day also appeared in the video , saying he was “ very pleased to see this happen.
” The organization ’ s current owner and CEO , Jace Hall , only responded to Ars Technica ’ s request for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ None of My Business ” Kermit the Frog meme .

Guinness World Records has reversed its 2018 decision to strip Billy Mitchell of his Pac-Man and Donkey Kong world records, according to Ars Technica, in what is the latest twist in a long story about the notorious arcade game master at the center of documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters.
This means that, according to Guinness, Mitchell is once again the first to achieve a perfect score on Pac-Man (totaling 3,333,360 points) and the first to reach 1 million points on Donkey Kong.
The controversy around Mitchell’s records has a long history
But Guinness stands alone in recognizing Mitchell’s scores, as Twin Galaxies International Scoreboard — an organization that also audits and awards records — is sticking with its decision to not recognize them.
Mitchell set the Pac-Man score in 1999 and the Donkey Kong one in 2005. But those records faced scrutiny after people in the community discovered that Mitchell set them on video game cabinets that were running arcade emulation software MAME. Twin Galaxies initiated an investigation, and despite finding inconclusive evidence that he cheated, stripped Mitchell of the records. Guinness World Records followed suit shortly after. Mitchell ultimately sued Twin Galaxies this year for libel, and threatened to sue Guinness. The Twin Galaxies lawsuit is still ongoing.
Guinness World Records editor Craig Glenday said in a video released Thursday that “existing evidence and newly sourced eyewitness testimony, plus some new expert gameplay analyses and hardware verification” was reviewed before reversing the decision. “In the end, we found that there just wasn’t sufficient evidence to support the disqualification across the board,” he said.
Mitchell told Ars Technica that Guinness’ decision was “a long time coming,” and that he knew about it as far back as December, but that the announcement was delayed because the two parties were wrapping up a “legal agreement” that he could not elaborate on.


theverge--2020-06-19--Apple will re-close some US stores due to coronavirus spikes

Apple is closing several recently reopened retail stores in four US states after a resurgence in COVID-19 cases , Bloomberg reported .
A total of 11 stores in Florida , Arizona , North Carolina , and South Carolina will be temporarily shuttered .
The company closed all of its stores outside of mainland China in March as the coronavirus pandemic spread .
It began reopening US stores in May , with some offering only curbside or storefront service and not allowing customers inside .
Stores that did open to customers were conducting temperature checks and required customers and employees to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve , we are temporarily closing stores in these areas , ” an Apple spokesperson said in an email to The Verge .
“ We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.
” Stores closing June 20th include two in Florida , at Waterside Shops and Coconut Point ; two in North Carolina , at Southpark and Northlake Mall ; one in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six in Arizona , at Chandler Fashion Center , Scottsdale Fashion Square , Arrowhead , SanTan Village , Scottsdale Quarter , and La Encantada .
UPDATED June 19th , 1:38PM ET : Adds comment from Apple and list of stores to be temporarily closed .

Apple is closing several recently reopened retail stores in four US states after a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, Bloomberg reported. A total of 11 stores in Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, and South Carolina will be temporarily shuttered.
The company closed all of its stores outside of mainland China in March as the coronavirus pandemic spread. It began reopening US stores in May, with some offering only curbside or storefront service and not allowing customers inside. Stores that did open to customers were conducting temperature checks and required customers and employees to wear face masks.
“Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas,” an Apple spokesperson said in an email to The Verge. “We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.”
Stores closing June 20th include two in Florida, at Waterside Shops and Coconut Point; two in North Carolina, at Southpark and Northlake Mall; one in South Carolina at Haywood Mall; and six in Arizona, at Chandler Fashion Center, Scottsdale Fashion Square, Arrowhead, SanTan Village, Scottsdale Quarter, and La Encantada.


theverge--2020-06-20--Nextdoor eliminates its Forward to Police program

Neighborhood social networking app Nextdoor says it is discontinuing its Forward to Police feature which let users send message board posts directly to local police , Bloomberg CityLab reported .
The site has been under increasing scrutiny for how it handles communications with law enforcement , and for how it handles racism among members on its app .
“ As part of our anti-racism work and our efforts to make Nextdoor a place where all neighbors feel welcome , we have been examining all aspects of our product , ” the company announced in a blog post .
“ After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is clear that the Forward to Police feature does not meet the needs of our members and only a small percentage of law enforcement agencies chose to use the tool.
” Black Nextdoor users have told The Verge that posts on the app often make them feel unsafe , and that volunteer moderators have silenced posts about Black Lives Matter protests .
Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar penned a blog post on June 11th titled “ A Nextdoor Where Everyone Belongs , ” saying the company was taking steps to improve diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nextdoor , ” Friar wrote .
The company also emailed its community leads —those who moderate conversations on the app— earlier this month specifically instructing them to allow discussions about Black Lives Matter .
“ To be clear , conversations related to racial inequality and black lives matter are allowed on Nextdoor , ” the email stated .
“ At the same time , it is vital that all conversations remain civil — regardless of the topic.
” According to Bloomberg CityLab , Nextdoor apparently will keep in place other features that allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the sending and receiving of direct messages .

Neighborhood social networking app Nextdoor says it is discontinuing its Forward to Police feature which let users send message board posts directly to local police, Bloomberg CityLab reported. The site has been under increasing scrutiny for how it handles communications with law enforcement, and for how it handles racism among members on its app.
“As part of our anti-racism work and our efforts to make Nextdoor a place where all neighbors feel welcome, we have been examining all aspects of our product,” the company announced in a blog post. “After speaking with members and public agency partners, it is clear that the Forward to Police feature does not meet the needs of our members and only a small percentage of law enforcement agencies chose to use the tool.”
Black Nextdoor users have told The Verge that posts on the app often make them feel unsafe, and that volunteer moderators have silenced posts about Black Lives Matter protests. Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar penned a blog post on June 11th titled “A Nextdoor Where Everyone Belongs,” saying the company was taking steps to improve diversity. “Racism has no place on Nextdoor,” Friar wrote.
The company also emailed its community leads —those who moderate conversations on the app— earlier this month specifically instructing them to allow discussions about Black Lives Matter. “To be clear, conversations related to racial inequality and black lives matter are allowed on Nextdoor,” the email stated. “At the same time, it is vital that all conversations remain civil — regardless of the topic.”


theverge--2020-06-20--Samsung Blu-ray players reportedly have stopped working but it’s not clear why

Samsung Blu-ray players appear to be malfunctioning for hundreds of users , and no one is sure what the issue @ @ @ @ @ Some users report their Blu-ray players get stuck in an endless reboot loop when they @ @ @ @ @ others reported hearing a buzzing noise as if the device is trying to read a @ @ @ @ @ cases there ’ s no disk in the machine .
Some machines are shutting down @ @ @ @ @ and still other users report their devices have become unresponsive to commands and pressing buttons @ @ @ @ @ t appear to be confined to one particular model .
On Samsung ’ s community @ @ @ @ @ users posited the problems started with a firmware update , but ZDNet says this doesn @ @ @ @ @ the case , suggesting the likely culprit was an expired SSL certificate the Blu-ray players @ @ @ @ @ ’ s servers .
Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday @ @ @ @ @ to the message board posters are telling people the company is investigating .

Samsung Blu-ray players appear to be malfunctioning for hundreds of users, and no one is sure what the issue is, ZDNet reported. Some users report their Blu-ray players get stuck in an endless reboot loop when they’re switched on, others reported hearing a buzzing noise as if the device is trying to read a disk, but in many cases there’s no disk in the machine.
Some machines are shutting down soon after turning on, and still other users report their devices have become unresponsive to commands and pressing buttons. The issues don’t appear to be confined to one particular model.
On Samsung’s community support message board, some users posited the problems started with a firmware update, but ZDNet says this doesn’t appear to be the case, suggesting the likely culprit was an expired SSL certificate the Blu-ray players used to connect to Samsung’s servers.


theverge--2020-06-20--Elon Musk says Tesla will delay ‘Battery Day’ event and shareholders meeting

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Friday that the company ’ s “ Battery Day ” event and its shareholders meeting , which was slated for July 7th , will both be delayed until sometime after July 4th .
The Battery Day event , where Tesla is expected to reveal details about its “ million mile ” battery , was originally planned for April but was bumped back to July due to the coronavirus pandemic .
In response to a question on Twitter about whether its cyber truck would be at the shareholders meeting , Musk said Tesla “ will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still no large gatherings allowed by July 7th .
Not sure of new date , but am guessing maybe a month or so later.
” He later added that Tesla would likely combine the shareholders meeting with the Battery Day event , and that it would probably be held in Fremont , California , where Tesla has factory .
Musk told investors and analysts earlier this year that the information about the battery tech “ will blow your mind .
It blows my mind.
” Tesla held a similar event focused on self-driving @ @ @ @ @

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Friday that the company’s “Battery Day” event and its shareholders meeting, which was slated for July 7th, will both be delayed until sometime after July 4th. The Battery Day event, where Tesla is expected to reveal details about its “million mile” battery, was originally planned for April but was bumped back to July due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In response to a question on Twitter about whether its cyber truck would be at the shareholders meeting, Musk said Tesla “will have to postpone annual shareholder meeting, as still no large gatherings allowed by July 7th. Not sure of new date, but am guessing maybe a month or so later.”
He later added that Tesla would likely combine the shareholders meeting with the Battery Day event, and that it would probably be held in Fremont, California, where Tesla has factory.


theverge--2020-06-20--Google ends trial of photo service that picked and printed photos for users

Google is ending the trial program of a service that sent users algorithm-selected prints from their Google Photos libraries , Droid Life reported .
The subscription-based service launched in the US in February with a monthly fee of $ 7.99 that got you 10 4x6 prints from the previous 30 days .
The printing service allowed users to choose which themes the service should prioritize in selecting the prints , offering “ people and pets , ” “ landscapes , ” and “ a little bit of everything ” as options .
Users were able to edit the selections before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a notice to subscribers that the service would not be available after June 30th , according to Droid Life : Thank you for your invaluable feedback these last several months .
You have provided us with a lot of helpful information about how we can evolve this feature , which we hope to make more widely available .
Please keep your eyes open for future updates .
Although we will be ending the trial program , we hope that you have experienced some joy from the prints you received along the way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Google will re-launch this service more widely in the future , or if it ’ s being shelved indefinitely .
We ’ ve reached out to Google for more information .

Thank you for your invaluable feedback these last several months. You have provided us with a lot of helpful information about how we can evolve this feature, which we hope to make more widely available. Please keep your eyes open for future updates.
Although we will be ending the trial program, we hope that you have experienced some joy from the prints you received along the way.


theverge--2020-06-20--10 new trailers to watch this week

10 new trailers to watch this week

I watched Spike Lee ’ s Da 5 Bloods over the weekend , and it ’ s just such a good reminder of the kind of film it sometimes feels like only he can make — where a bunch of people just speak their mind about the world , often more to the camera than to each other , because that conversation essentially is the film .
Da 5 Bloods is a complicated one , dealing with America ’ s legacy of destruction and violence and how it impacted both the black soldiers sent to fight in Vietnam ( who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the film points out ) and the people in Vietnam who suffered from their attacks .
The film shows the pain that remains decades and generations later .
I don ’ t know that every beat in the film worked for me ( or even made sense moment to moment ) , but the broad strokes that Lee paints create a more challenging scenario than most other filmmakers would attempt to grapple with .
That ’ s enough of a reason to check it out .
Check out 10 trailers from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nia DaCosta posted a new teaser for the revival of Candyman earlier this week .
It ’ s not exactly a trailer — it ’ s something far more interesting : essentially a short film all its own , done in a beautiful papercraft style , that explores the origin of the film ’ s mythical killer and the racist killings the story grapples with .
Slate explored in more detail how the short reflects real-life events .
The movie is scheduled to come out September 25th .
The Lonely Island-produced comedy Palm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale ever ( by a very intentional $ 0.69 ) earlier this year , and now it ’ s headed to Hulu .
The film has Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti playing a couple stuck in a Groundhog Day-esque time loop and exploring the ridiculous possibilities of living a day over and over again together .
It comes out on July 10th .
This series is sort of what it sounds like ... but also not even close ?
It ’ s a sci-fi/fantasy teen action series about a bunch of teenagers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of guns ) and fight ancient evils .
The show comes out July 2nd .
Nobody Knows I ’ m Here Jorge Garcia , who played Hurley in Lost , stars in this Chilean film about a former hit child singer who escapes to a sheep farm and seems to live in near isolation — at least , it seems , until people start to realize who he is .
The film comes to Netflix on June 24th .
Netflix has a documentary coming up about the sexual abuse scandal surrounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctor , Larry Nassar , who was convicted after more than 150 women testified in court that he had abused them .
The film looks at how the Indianapolis Star broke the story and how USA Gymnastics failed its athletes .
It comes out June 24th .
Netflix put out a first teaser this week for Cursed , its new series based on a book illustrated by Frank Miller that reimagines the legend of King Arthur with Nimue , the Lady of the Lake , as its hero .
It comes out July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quiet thriller about a husband who becomes more and more controlling as he moves his family from extravagant home to extravagant home in order to live some sort of impressive life of his dreams .
The film screened at Sundance this year , and now it ’ s headed to theaters on September 18th .
Peninsula looks like a ludicrous zombie film that goes way over the top and refuses to slow down .
The film is the sequel to 2016 ’ s Train to Busan , which got great reviews for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zombie infestation .
There doesn ’ t appear to be a US release date just yet .
Dave Franco makes his directorial debut with The Rental , a thriller about two couples who rent a house for a vacation , where things naturally begin to go awry and get violent and creepy .
It comes out July 24th .
Correction June 20th , 11:15AM ET : I finally did it , I miscounted the number of trailers in this column .
There are 10 , not nine .
The Verge regrets the error @

I watched Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods over the weekend, and it’s just such a good reminder of the kind of film it sometimes feels like only he can make — where a bunch of people just speak their mind about the world, often more to the camera than to each other, because that conversation essentially is the film.
Da 5 Bloods is a complicated one, dealing with America’s legacy of destruction and violence and how it impacted both the black soldiers sent to fight in Vietnam (who represented a disproportionate number of US soldiers, as the film points out) and the people in Vietnam who suffered from their attacks. The film shows the pain that remains decades and generations later.
I don’t know that every beat in the film worked for me (or even made sense moment to moment), but the broad strokes that Lee paints create a more challenging scenario than most other filmmakers would attempt to grapple with. That’s enough of a reason to check it out.
Check out 10 trailers from this week below.
Candyman
Writer and director Nia DaCosta posted a new teaser for the revival of Candyman earlier this week. It’s not exactly a trailer — it’s something far more interesting: essentially a short film all its own, done in a beautiful papercraft style, that explores the origin of the film’s mythical killer and the racist killings the story grapples with. Slate explored in more detail how the short reflects real-life events. The movie is scheduled to come out September 25th.
Palm Springs
The Lonely Island-produced comedy Palm Springs broke Sundance records for the biggest sale ever (by a very intentional $0.69) earlier this year, and now it’s headed to Hulu. The film has Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti playing a couple stuck in a Groundhog Day-esque time loop and exploring the ridiculous possibilities of living a day over and over again together. It comes out on July 10th.
Warrior Nun
This series is sort of what it sounds like... but also not even close? It’s a sci-fi/fantasy teen action series about a bunch of teenagers who have weird nun superpowers (and also a lot of guns) and fight ancient evils. The show comes out July 2nd.
Nobody Knows I’m Here
Jorge Garcia, who played Hurley in Lost, stars in this Chilean film about a former hit child singer who escapes to a sheep farm and seems to live in near isolation — at least, it seems, until people start to realize who he is. The film comes to Netflix on June 24th.
Athlete A
Netflix has a documentary coming up about the sexual abuse scandal surrounding USA Gymnastics and the team’s doctor, Larry Nassar, who was convicted after more than 150 women testified in court that he had abused them. The film looks at how the Indianapolis Star broke the story and how USA Gymnastics failed its athletes. It comes out June 24th.
Cursed
Netflix put out a first teaser this week for Cursed, its new series based on a book illustrated by Frank Miller that reimagines the legend of King Arthur with Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, as its hero. It comes out July 17th.
The Nest
Jude Law stars in this quiet thriller about a husband who becomes more and more controlling as he moves his family from extravagant home to extravagant home in order to live some sort of impressive life of his dreams. The film screened at Sundance this year, and now it’s headed to theaters on September 18th.
Peninsula
Peninsula looks like a ludicrous zombie film that goes way over the top and refuses to slow down. The film is the sequel to 2016’s Train to Busan, which got great reviews for its only slightly less ridiculous take on a zombie infestation. There doesn’t appear to be a US release date just yet.
The Rental
Dave Franco makes his directorial debut with The Rental, a thriller about two couples who rent a house for a vacation, where things naturally begin to go awry and get violent and creepy. It comes out July 24th.
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Psychomagic, A Healing Art
I have no idea.


theverge--2020-06-20--Apple WWDC 2020: iOS 14, ARM Macs, hardware rumors, and what else to expect

Apple ’ s annual Worldwide Developers Conference ( WWDC ) keynote is happening on Monday , June 22nd , but in a very different form than usual , due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The show must go on , so Apple will be presenting the entire conference in a new , digital-only format .
The company is still expected to unveil the first look at the future of iOS , macOS , watchOS , and tvOS — the various suites of software that power all of Apple ’ s hardware .
The first look at the next generation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be making an even bigger announcement than just the annual software updates : Apple is reportedly going to be using WWDC to announce a shift from Intel-based processors to custom-designed ARM chips for its Mac desktops and laptops .
This would be a fundamental shift for Apple ’ s computer products as a whole .
Apple ’ s developer conference is also coming at a time when the company is under fire for its developer practices , like the limits it places on third-party applications and the 30-percent and 15-percent cuts it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through its store .
The EU has opened antitrust investigations against Apple , even as Apple continues to enforce restrictive policies — most recently against the email startup Hey .
Major developers like Spotify , Epic Games , and Match Group have become increasingly outspoken about Apple ’ s policies ; if there ’ s any change coming , it ’ ll be announced here ( or Apple will simply ignore the problem entirely ) .
With that all said , here ’ s everything we ’ re expecting Apple to announce this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as usual , expected to be one of Apple ’ s main focuses this year , though a series of leaks — thanks to an early version of the software that made it out into the world earlier this year — have given a bit more of a preview than usual regarding what to expect .
Apple seems to be settling into a tick-tock development cadence with its iOS updates : the notoriously buggy iOS 13 followed the rock-solid iOS 12 , which in turn fixed the problematic iOS 11 .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to focus on performance and stability rather than adding new features .
There are rumors that Apple might be making the first substantial changes to the iOS home screen , the biggest since the company first added folders and custom wallpapers with iOS 4 .
The first major addition is said to be a new list view which , according to 9to5Mac , will offer an Android-esque view of all the apps on your device with a variety of sorting options — including Siri suggestions .
iOS 14 is also rumored to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-party apps for the first time .
But the biggest — and least substantiated — rumor of all is that Apple could finally be bringing proper home screen widgets to iOS , something the company has long refused to do ( outside of showing the time and date on its Clock and Calendar apps ) .
In another first , Apple is reportedly considering allowing third-party apps to be set as the iOS defaults in place of the Apple-made alternatives .
That could be a big deal , if it happens , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antitrust lawsuits in the EU over accusations that it favors its own apps and services .
It wouldn ’ t be a new version of iOS without some new apps , and Apple reportedly has several in the works .
According to MacRumors , one of those is a new standalone fitness app codenamed “ Seymour ” ( likely to be renamed “ Fit ” or “ Fitness ” in the final release ) that would provide a variety of guided fitness videos for workout routines .
There are also reports of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gobi , ” which would offer some unknown functionality built around new , Apple-branded QR-style codes .
And of course , there are the usual tweaks and improvements rumored to be coming in iOS 14. iMessage is rumored to be getting new @ -mentions and the option to retract a message from a thread ( both similar to features currently offered by WhatsApp ) .
Apple is also expected to launch a new “ CarKey ” feature that will let you use your iPhone or Apple Watch as an NFC car key to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new HomeKit features reportedly in the works , like the ability to automate color temperature changes for lights throughout the day .
Plus , iOS 14 is rumored to add improved accessibility features for users with hearing loss .
There are rumors of improvements to iCloud Keychain , Apple ’ s built-in password management tool , which could be getting 1Password-like features to remind users to regularly change their passwords and support for two-factor authentication .
Lastly , Apple is said to be adding a new “ Clips ” API that would allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their apps without having to install the full application by scanning a QR code ( similar features already exist on Android with Google ’ s Instant Apps and app slices ) .
Last year , Apple split off the iPad version of iOS into its own fork , iPadOS .
Given that , at its heart , iPadOS is still basically iOS , expect most of the changes above for iOS to apply here too .
That said , there are additional iPadOS rumors centered around the Apple Pencil .
MacRumors claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature that will automatically convert handwritten words into standard text .
The new handwriting feature is said to work in any iPadOS input field .
Other changes , like mouse support , which were originally rumored for release with iOS 14 , have already made their way to the iPad earlier this year with the release of iOS 13.4 .
The perennial rumor for the Apple Watch — the addition of sleep tracking — has popped up again this year in rumors for watchOS 7 , although it ’ s not clear whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for when it releases a new Apple Watch this fall ( given that sleep tracking may have additional hardware demands ) .
Another rumor suggests that blood oxygen tracking might be coming to watchOS 7 , although , like sleep tracking , it ’ s unclear if that ’ ll depend on new hardware .
On the purely software side of things , Apple is reportedly adding the option to share customized watchfaces , along with a new Infograph Pro watchface and better parental control options .
tvOS now powers both the Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updates to either of those platforms may come here .
On the Apple TV side of things , the same rumored Fitness app that ’ s expected to debut with iOS 14 is expected to appear here , too , and Apple is reportedly working on a Kids Mode for the streaming platform that would also loop in with Screen Time for monitoring how much time you spend watching TV .
For HomePod , the rumors that Apple may be easing up on default applications might also bring benefits here , like enabling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the smart speaker through Apple ’ s Siri voice assistant , according to Bloomberg .
Shockingly , there have been almost no leaks for the next version of macOS head of WWDC this year .
The only major rumors are ones that are extended from iOS , with talk of a proper Catalyst iMessage app that could finally bring features like “ sent with lasers ” to the Mac app , and similar iCloud Keychain improvements .
But there ’ s still the biggest rumor heading into WWDC : that Apple could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next generation of Mac laptops to replace the Intel processors its been using since 2006 .
In which case , expect to hear a lot about how the next version of macOS will support that transition .
Perhaps the most important piece of news that could come out of WWDC , Apple is reportedly planning to use this year ’ s developer conference to announce a switch to its own custom designed ARM-based chips , according to a report from Bloomberg .
According to the report , the change is motivated by Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance improvements .
The new ARM chips are said to offer markedly better performance for graphics and AI tasks , and are also more power efficient ( meaning future Mac laptops could offer better battery life or cut down on their size even further ) .
And of course , by not relying on Intel , Apple can design chipsets that are completely to its specifications , instead of relying on another company ’ s roadmap , a strategy that it ’ s deployed to great effect over on its iPhone and iPad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chips since the original iPad and the iPhone 4 .
That said , the new ARM-based Macs are still expected to run macOS , not iOS , although presumably sharing a hardware architecture would make it even easier to create ported Catalyst-style applications for the new Macs .
And even if Apple does announce a plan for ARM-based Macs at WWDC , it ’ ll probably be months before the actual computers arrive — rumors say that the first ARM Macs will be out in 2021 at the earliest .
There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first announced that it would be shifting over to Intel chips from the PowerPC architecture at WWDC 2005 , months ahead of the eventual release of Intel-based Macs in January 2006 in order to give developers time to prepare for the transition .
That said , the change happened remarkably quickly — Apple had updated its entire lineup of computers with Intel-based versions by August 2006 .
The iMac has been long overdue for a refresh — it ’ s been years since Apple updated its main desktop with a new design , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting one at WWDC that cuts down on the bezels , expanding the display to 23 inches and offering a design closer to the Pro Display XDR that was announced last WWDC .
There are also rumors of a refreshed Apple TV , given that the current Apple TV 4K model ( introduced in 2017 ) is getting a little long in the tooth .
The updates aren ’ t expected to be too revolutionary , though : if it does show up , expect it to look pretty similar to the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( from 32GB and 64GB to 64GB and 128GB ) and an improved processor .
One of the more thoroughly leaked Apple products of late , the Tile-like AirTags have been lurking at the edge of multiple Apple software leaks and rumors going back over a year , even showing up in an official Apple promotional video .
The AirTags are expected to be circular discs that rely on the same U1 chips and technology introduced in the iPhone 11 to offer an augmented reality interface to find missing items with high levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up plenty in previous iOS builds , but will they finally make an appearance at WWDC 2020 ?
As always , WWDC is an Apple event , and given the chaotic nature of 2020 — with product announcements and release dates increasingly all over the place due to supply chain disruptions and delays — there ’ s a good chance that anything could happen .
While WWDC does tend to focus on software and developer announcements , big news has happened in the past here .
Whatever does get announced , keep it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as soon as it happens .

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote is happening on Monday, June 22nd, but in a very different form than usual, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The show must go on, so Apple will be presenting the entire conference in a new, digital-only format. The company is still expected to unveil the first look at the future of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — the various suites of software that power all of Apple’s hardware.
The first look at the next generation of Apple’s software
The company may also be making an even bigger announcement than just the annual software updates: Apple is reportedly going to be using WWDC to announce a shift from Intel-based processors to custom-designed ARM chips for its Mac desktops and laptops. This would be a fundamental shift for Apple’s computer products as a whole.
Apple’s developer conference is also coming at a time when the company is under fire for its developer practices, like the limits it places on third-party applications and the 30-percent and 15-percent cuts it takes from app purchases and subscriptions sold through its store. The EU has opened antitrust investigations against Apple, even as Apple continues to enforce restrictive policies — most recently against the email startup Hey. Major developers like Spotify, Epic Games, and Match Group have become increasingly outspoken about Apple’s policies; if there’s any change coming, it’ll be announced here (or Apple will simply ignore the problem entirely).
With that all said, here’s everything we’re expecting Apple to announce this year.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
iOS 14
The annual iOS update is, as usual, expected to be one of Apple’s main focuses this year, though a series of leaks — thanks to an early version of the software that made it out into the world earlier this year — have given a bit more of a preview than usual regarding what to expect.
Apple seems to be settling into a tick-tock development cadence with its iOS updates: the notoriously buggy iOS 13 followed the rock-solid iOS 12, which in turn fixed the problematic iOS 11. As such, iOS 14 is reportedly set to focus on performance and stability rather than adding new features.
There are rumors that Apple might be making the first substantial changes to the iOS home screen, the biggest since the company first added folders and custom wallpapers with iOS 4. The first major addition is said to be a new list view which, according to 9to5Mac, will offer an Android-esque view of all the apps on your device with a variety of sorting options — including Siri suggestions. iOS 14 is also rumored to bring new wallpaper settings that will loop in third-party apps for the first time.
But the biggest — and least substantiated — rumor of all is that Apple could finally be bringing proper home screen widgets to iOS, something the company has long refused to do (outside of showing the time and date on its Clock and Calendar apps).
In another first, Apple is reportedly considering allowing third-party apps to be set as the iOS defaults in place of the Apple-made alternatives. That could be a big deal, if it happens, especially with the spotlight firmly on Apple facing antitrust lawsuits in the EU over accusations that it favors its own apps and services.
It wouldn’t be a new version of iOS without some new apps, and Apple reportedly has several in the works. According to MacRumors, one of those is a new standalone fitness app codenamed “Seymour” (likely to be renamed “Fit” or “Fitness” in the final release) that would provide a variety of guided fitness videos for workout routines.
There are also reports of a new augmented reality app, codenamed “Gobi,” which would offer some unknown functionality built around new, Apple-branded QR-style codes.
And of course, there are the usual tweaks and improvements rumored to be coming in iOS 14. iMessage is rumored to be getting new @-mentions and the option to retract a message from a thread (both similar to features currently offered by WhatsApp).
Apple is also expected to launch a new “CarKey” feature that will let you use your iPhone or Apple Watch as an NFC car key to unlock your car. There are also new HomeKit features reportedly in the works, like the ability to automate color temperature changes for lights throughout the day. Plus, iOS 14 is rumored to add improved accessibility features for users with hearing loss.
There are rumors of improvements to iCloud Keychain, Apple’s built-in password management tool, which could be getting 1Password-like features to remind users to regularly change their passwords and support for two-factor authentication.
Lastly, Apple is said to be adding a new “Clips” API that would allow developers to offer small snippets of content from their apps without having to install the full application by scanning a QR code (similar features already exist on Android with Google’s Instant Apps and app slices).
iPadOS 14
Last year, Apple split off the iPad version of iOS into its own fork, iPadOS. Given that, at its heart, iPadOS is still basically iOS, expect most of the changes above for iOS to apply here too. That said, there are additional iPadOS rumors centered around the Apple Pencil. MacRumors claims that Apple is adding a new PencilKit feature that will automatically convert handwritten words into standard text. The new handwriting feature is said to work in any iPadOS input field.
Other changes, like mouse support, which were originally rumored for release with iOS 14, have already made their way to the iPad earlier this year with the release of iOS 13.4.
watchOS 7
The perennial rumor for the Apple Watch — the addition of sleep tracking — has popped up again this year in rumors for watchOS 7, although it’s not clear whether Apple will hold off on that announcement for when it releases a new Apple Watch this fall (given that sleep tracking may have additional hardware demands). Another rumor suggests that blood oxygen tracking might be coming to watchOS 7, although, like sleep tracking, it’s unclear if that’ll depend on new hardware.
On the purely software side of things, Apple is reportedly adding the option to share customized watchfaces, along with a new Infograph Pro watchface and better parental control options.
tvOS 14
tvOS now powers both the Apple TV and the HomePod, so any updates to either of those platforms may come here. On the Apple TV side of things, the same rumored Fitness app that’s expected to debut with iOS 14 is expected to appear here, too, and Apple is reportedly working on a Kids Mode for the streaming platform that would also loop in with Screen Time for monitoring how much time you spend watching TV.
For HomePod, the rumors that Apple may be easing up on default applications might also bring benefits here, like enabling third-party applications like Spotify to work on the smart speaker through Apple’s Siri voice assistant, according to Bloomberg.
macOS 10.16
Shockingly, there have been almost no leaks for the next version of macOS head of WWDC this year. The only major rumors are ones that are extended from iOS, with talk of a proper Catalyst iMessage app that could finally bring features like “sent with lasers” to the Mac app, and similar iCloud Keychain improvements.
But there’s still the biggest rumor heading into WWDC: that Apple could be unveiling its own ARM-based chips for the next generation of Mac laptops to replace the Intel processors its been using since 2006. In which case, expect to hear a lot about how the next version of macOS will support that transition.
Photo by Dieter Bohn / The Verge
Macs switching to ARM
Perhaps the most important piece of news that could come out of WWDC, Apple is reportedly planning to use this year’s developer conference to announce a switch to its own custom designed ARM-based chips, according to a report from Bloomberg.
According to the report, the change is motivated by Apple’s concerns about Intel’s performance improvements. The new ARM chips are said to offer markedly better performance for graphics and AI tasks, and are also more power efficient (meaning future Mac laptops could offer better battery life or cut down on their size even further). And of course, by not relying on Intel, Apple can design chipsets that are completely to its specifications, instead of relying on another company’s roadmap, a strategy that it’s deployed to great effect over on its iPhone and iPad devices, which have used custom Apple-designed chips since the original iPad and the iPhone 4.
That said, the new ARM-based Macs are still expected to run macOS, not iOS, although presumably sharing a hardware architecture would make it even easier to create ported Catalyst-style applications for the new Macs.
And even if Apple does announce a plan for ARM-based Macs at WWDC, it’ll probably be months before the actual computers arrive — rumors say that the first ARM Macs will be out in 2021 at the earliest. There’s precedence for this, too: Apple first announced that it would be shifting over to Intel chips from the PowerPC architecture at WWDC 2005, months ahead of the eventual release of Intel-based Macs in January 2006 in order to give developers time to prepare for the transition. That said, the change happened remarkably quickly — Apple had updated its entire lineup of computers with Intel-based versions by August 2006.
New iMac
The iMac has been long overdue for a refresh — it’s been years since Apple updated its main desktop with a new design, and rumors suggest that we could be getting one at WWDC that cuts down on the bezels, expanding the display to 23 inches and offering a design closer to the Pro Display XDR that was announced last WWDC.
New Apple TV 4K
There are also rumors of a refreshed Apple TV, given that the current Apple TV 4K model (introduced in 2017) is getting a little long in the tooth. The updates aren’t expected to be too revolutionary, though: if it does show up, expect it to look pretty similar to the current model, although with double the storage (from 32GB and 64GB to 64GB and 128GB) and an improved processor.
Image by Guilherme Rambo / 9to5Mac
Apple AirTags
One of the more thoroughly leaked Apple products of late, the Tile-like AirTags have been lurking at the edge of multiple Apple software leaks and rumors going back over a year, even showing up in an official Apple promotional video. The AirTags are expected to be circular discs that rely on the same U1 chips and technology introduced in the iPhone 11 to offer an augmented reality interface to find missing items with high levels of precision. They’ve shown up plenty in previous iOS builds, but will they finally make an appearance at WWDC 2020?
One more thing…


theverge--2020-06-20--Comcast extends free Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspot access through the end of 2020

Comcast will continue to offer free access to its 1.5 million public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots through the end of 2020 , the company announced .
“ We saw a huge jump in usage after we opened up our public hotspots , and we ’ re excited to keep them open through the end of the year as the nation begins taking steps to reopen , ” the company said in a statement .
Comcast is also extending its offer for 60 days of free internet service to new customers on its Internet Essentials tier , which is designed for low-income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expire June 30th but also will continue through the end of the year.. Comcast was one of several broadband internet providers to commit to the Federal Communications Commission ’ s Keep Americans Connected pledge back in March , as the coronavirus kept people homebound and reliant on internet connections for working and schooling remotely .
The ISPs promised not to terminate services for residences or small businesses that were unable to pay their bills because of the pandemic , and to waive late fees .
The pledge also included a provision to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs them.
” On April 30th , Comcast announced it posted revenue of $ 26.6 billion for the first quarter of 2020 , a 0.9 percent decline year over year , and net income of $ 2.1 billion , a 40 percent drop from the year-ago quarter .
And even though the company lost 409,000 cable TV customers in Q1 according to its earnings report , it added 477,000 internet customers , which the company said was its best quarterly number in more than a decade .
Wireless revenue for the quarter was @ @ @ @

Comcast will continue to offer free access to its 1.5 million public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots through the end of 2020, the company announced. “We saw a huge jump in usage after we opened up our public hotspots, and we’re excited to keep them open through the end of the year as the nation begins taking steps to reopen,” the company said in a statement.
Comcast is also extending its offer for 60 days of free internet service to new customers on its Internet Essentials tier, which is designed for low-income customers. That offer was set to expire June 30th but also will continue through the end of the year..
Comcast was one of several broadband internet providers to commit to the Federal Communications Commission’s Keep Americans Connected pledge back in March, as the coronavirus kept people homebound and reliant on internet connections for working and schooling remotely. The ISPs promised not to terminate services for residences or small businesses that were unable to pay their bills because of the pandemic, and to waive late fees. The pledge also included a provision to open Wi-Fi hotspots to “any American who needs them.”


theverge--2020-06-21--Android’s AirDrop-style file sharing feature may be available for more than just mobile devices

Android ’ s upcoming AirDrop-style sharing feature , called Nearby Share ( and referred to also as Nearby Sharing ) , may also come to Chrome on numerous other platforms , 9to5Google reports .
The feature will allow Android users to directly share photos , links , and other files with other devices , similar to how AirDrop works across macOS and iOS .
The feature has apparently started to show up in the settings of the latest build of Chrome OS Canary : Originally called “ Fast Share , ” Android ’ s answer to AirDrop has been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to XDA Developers .
It ’ s expected to be available through Google Play , and references in the code suggest that it will work not only on mobile Android devices but also on Chromebooks and other computers with Google ’ s Chrome browser installed .
A video by XDA Developers released earlier this year showed Nearby Share/Sharing baked into Android ’ s quick settings menu .
It appeared to work best when the devices sharing the files were within a foot of each other .
It ’ s not clear when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the amount of time since rumors about it first started , chances are it won ’ t be too much longer .

Android’s upcoming AirDrop-style sharing feature, called Nearby Share (and referred to also as Nearby Sharing), may also come to Chrome on numerous other platforms, 9to5Google reports. The feature will allow Android users to directly share photos, links, and other files with other devices, similar to how AirDrop works across macOS and iOS.
The feature has apparently started to show up in the settings of the latest build of Chrome OS Canary:
Originally called “Fast Share,” Android’s answer to AirDrop has been in development for more than a year, according to XDA Developers. It’s expected to be available through Google Play, and references in the code suggest that it will work not only on mobile Android devices but also on Chromebooks and other computers with Google’s Chrome browser installed.
A video by XDA Developers released earlier this year showed Nearby Share/Sharing baked into Android’s quick settings menu. It appeared to work best when the devices sharing the files were within a foot of each other.


theverge--2020-06-21--Go read this Daily Beast story about Sergey Brin’s secret disaster relief team

[ extreme Stefon voice ] : This story has everything : A high-speed super-yacht , a secret disaster strike force , a Google co-founder , and strawberry ice cream .
The Daily Beast ’ s Mark Harris has a wild story about Global Support and Development ( GSD ) , a disaster charity founded by Sergey Brin that ’ s being run by his former bodyguards .
The story opens detailing how GSD provided disaster relief in the form of medical care and road-clearing crews after Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas last year .
For the past five years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance during high-profile disasters , including the COVID-19 pandemic .
These range from drones and super-yachts to a gigantic new airship that the outfit apparently hopes will make it easier to get aid supplies into disaster zones .
And just as Google famously treats—or , pre-COVID-19 lockdown , treated—employees to catered lunches , free gyms , and on-site massages , some of GSD ’ s humanitarian workers have enjoyed strawberry ice cream and freshly laundered clothes on board Brin ’ s super-yacht during disaster deployments .
The organization got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pounded Vanuatu .
Brin ’ s $ 80 million yacht , the Dragonfly , was sailing nearby with a doctor and paramedics on board , and the crew decided to spring into action .
The Daily Beast notes Brin ’ s philanthropy is similar to other attempted acts of benevolence from Silicon Valley billionaires ( see : Musk , Elon and Gates , Bill ) seeking to make a big impact .
GSD even says it ’ s been involved with COVID-19 relief efforts , setting up drive-thru testing centers in California and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About half of the people working for GSD have military backgrounds .
And not everyone is thrilled with the idea of a disaster rescue force made up of former military personnel , however well-meaning it may be : ... [ T ] he use of ex-military personnel for humanitarian and conservation work is also controversial , according to Rosaleen Duffy , a professor of politics and international relations at the University of Sheffield .
“ They can arrive in complex situations with little understanding of the local context .
They bring with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as seeing certain groups of people as ‘ the enemy ’ to battle against.
” Whatever Brin ’ s motivation , this is a captivating story with great details about a billionaire ’ s mostly low-profile ventures into philanthropy , and his fascination with airships .
Strongly recommend making time to check out the full story at The Daily Beast .

For the past five years, GSD has been quietly using high-tech systems to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance during high-profile disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic. These range from drones and super-yachts to a gigantic new airship that the outfit apparently hopes will make it easier to get aid supplies into disaster zones.
And just as Google famously treats—or, pre-COVID-19 lockdown, treated—employees to catered lunches, free gyms, and on-site massages, some of GSD’s humanitarian workers have enjoyed strawberry ice cream and freshly laundered clothes on board Brin’s super-yacht during disaster deployments.


theverge--2020-06-21--Read the letter Snap’s head of diversity sent to staff about its offensive Juneteenth filter

Snap ’ s vice president of diversity and inclusion apologized this weekend for the distribution of a Juneteeth filter that many people found offensive and offered new details about the how it was created .
In an email distributed to the company , Oona King said the filter released Friday was a collaboration between black and white employees — and pushed back against criticism that the company had been culturally insensitive .
The filter — Snap calls them “ lenses ” — asked users to “ smile and break the chains ” of slavery .
King , who is black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should have developed a more appropriate lens.
” “ Speaking on behalf of my team , clearly we failed to recognize the gravity of the ‘ smile ’ trigger , ” King wrote in a letter to the company .
“ That is a failure I fully own .
We reviewed the Lens from the standpoint of Black creative content , made by and for Black people , so did not adequately consider how it would look when used by non-Black members of our community .
What we also did not fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smile ’ trigger would necessarily include the actual word “ smile ” on the content ; and b ) that people would perceive this as work created by White creatives , not Black creatives.
” Despite the collaboration , the filter did not go through the usual review process , a Snap spokeswoman said .
The company is investigating the matter .
Snap has long struggled with the perception that it lacks a diverse team .
Unlike most of its peers , the company has refused to release a diversity report about its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was planning to to share more information in the future .
The company has previously released several filters it later had to apologize for , including a Bob Marley-themed filter in 2016 and an anime-themed filter later that year .
King ’ s full letter is below ( emphasis hers ) .
As a leader responsible for driving Diversity , Equity and Inclusion at Snap , I want to directly address what happened with the Juneteenth Lens yesterday .
Snap released a Lens to commemorate Juneteenth that many people felt was offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ to break the chains of slavery .
Snap was also accused of failing to include Black perspectives in the creation of our Lens to mark Juneteenth — a date often celebrated by African-Americans to mark the end of slavery .
After reviewing how the process unfolded , it ’ s very clear that Black Snap team members were fully involved in every stage of developing and approving the Lens and that , in hindsight , we should have developed a more appropriate Lens .
I particularly want to apologize to our team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and internally of failing to be culturally sensitive ; in some instances they have actually been called racist .
This is completely unacceptable .
All of these accusations are particularly painful , first because we care so deeply about racial justice , and second because the accusations are completely untrue .
For the record , and the avoidance of all doubt : the two Snap team members who on separate occasions specifically questioned if the “ smile ” trigger was appropriate for Juneteenth were two White team members .
The Snap team members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with , and said it was acceptable to use , were Black Snap team members , and / or members of my team .
Speaking on behalf of my team , clearly we failed to recognize the gravity of the “ smile ” trigger .
That is a failure I fully own .
We reviewed the Lens from the standpoint of Black creative content , made by and for Black people , so did not adequately consider how it would look when used by non-Black members of our community .
What we also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a ‘ smile ’ trigger would necessarily include the actual word “ smile ” on the content ; and b ) that people would perceive this as work created by White creatives , not Black creatives .
We feel it is perfectly acceptable as Black people to celebrate the end of slavery — as we do with picnics , BBQs , street parties and other forms of celebration across America — and say “ Smile !
Happy Juneteenth ; we ’ re no longer enslaved !
But we ’ re not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a White person to tell a Black person : “ Smile !
You ’ re no longer slaves ” is offensive in the extreme .
I ’ m hoping many people will understand how the same word can be appropriate in one context , but inappropriate in another , depending on who is using it .
Regardless , we should not have used smiling as a trigger to break the chains of slavery in the Lens , and we understand why that was offensive .
The mischaracterization on social media — that White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet again , to include Black perspectives — is completely untrue .
What is true is that regardless of our diverse backgrounds , we are all human , and humans make mistakes .
We are building a culture where we confront and acknowledge our errors so that we can learn , improve and grow together .
This mistake has taught us a valuable lesson , and I am sincerely sorry that it came at the expense of what we meant to be a respectful commemoration of this important day .

Dear Team,
As a leader responsible for driving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Snap, I want to directly address what happened with the Juneteenth Lens yesterday.
Snap released a Lens to commemorate Juneteenth that many people felt was offensive because it prompted users to ‘smile’ to break the chains of slavery. Snap was also accused of failing to include Black perspectives in the creation of our Lens to mark Juneteenth — a date often celebrated by African-Americans to mark the end of slavery. After reviewing how the process unfolded, it’s very clear that Black Snap team members were fully involved in every stage of developing and approving the Lens and that, in hindsight, we should have developed a more appropriate Lens.
I particularly want to apologize to our team members who have been accused both externally and internally of failing to be culturally sensitive; in some instances they have actually been called racist. This is completely unacceptable.
All of these accusations are particularly painful, first because we care so deeply about racial justice, and second because the accusations are completely untrue. For the record, and the avoidance of all doubt: the two Snap team members who on separate occasions specifically questioned if the “smile” trigger was appropriate for Juneteenth were two White team members. The Snap team members who suggested the smile trigger to begin with, and said it was acceptable to use, were Black Snap team members, and / or members of my team.
Speaking on behalf of my team, clearly we failed to recognize the gravity of the “smile” trigger. That is a failure I fully own. We reviewed the Lens from the standpoint of Black creative content, made by and for Black people, so did not adequately consider how it would look when used by non-Black members of our community. What we also did not fully realize was a) that a ‘smile’ trigger would necessarily include the actual word “smile” on the content; and b) that people would perceive this as work created by White creatives, not Black creatives.
We feel it is perfectly acceptable as Black people to celebrate the end of slavery — as we do with picnics, BBQs, street parties and other forms of celebration across America — and say “Smile! Happy Juneteenth; we’re no longer enslaved! But we’re not yet really free either!” However for a White person to tell a Black person: “Smile! You’re no longer slaves” is offensive in the extreme. I’m hoping many people will understand how the same word can be appropriate in one context, but inappropriate in another, depending on who is using it. Regardless, we should not have used smiling as a trigger to break the chains of slavery in the Lens, and we understand why that was offensive.
The mischaracterization on social media — that White executives at a tech company failed, yet again, to include Black perspectives — is completely untrue. What is true is that regardless of our diverse backgrounds, we are all human, and humans make mistakes. We are building a culture where we confront and acknowledge our errors so that we can learn, improve and grow together. This mistake has taught us a valuable lesson, and I am sincerely sorry that it came at the expense of what we meant to be a respectful commemoration of this important day.
Oona


theverge--2020-06-21--K-pop fans and TikTok teens say they reserved tickets for Trump’s Tulsa rally to leave seats empty

As part of a coordinated effort , K-pop fans and teenage TikTok users scooped up tickets to President Trump ’ s Saturday rally in Tulsa , potentially leaving at least hundreds of empty seats , The New York Times reported .
A tweet from the Trump campaign June 11th urged people to use their phones to register for the free tickets .
The K-pop fans shared the information and encouraged their followers to get tickets , and then not show up for the rally .
The plan quickly caught on on TikTok , where people followed the K-pop fans ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jo Laupp with leading part of the charge on the video platform .
She posted a TikTok video last week encouraging people to “ go reserve tickets now and leave him standing alone there on the stage.
” YouTuber Elijah Daniel told the Times the plan spread quietly through an elite corner of TikTok where pranks and activism are regularly carried out .
“ K-pop Twitter and Alt TikTok have a good alliance where they spread information amongst each other very quickly , ” he said .
“ They all know the algorithms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get where they want.
” Saturday was not the first time the fans of Korean pop music have used social media toward a common goal .
Earlier this month , the K-pop crowd flooded right-wing social media hashtags like # MAGA and # BlueLivesMatter with memes , GIFs , and videos of K-pop artists .
The Trump campaign said last week the rally had more than a million requests for tickets to the rally at Bank of Oklahoma Center , which had been rescheduled from Friday to avoid coinciding with the Juneteenth holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed an area meant for an expected overflow crowd was mostly empty , and inside the arena , there were thousands of empty seats .
Forbes reported that the Tulsa Fire Department said turnout was just under 6,200 people , less than half the venue ’ s 19,000-person capacity .
The campaign claimed protests had prevented many would-be rally attendees from being able to get inside the arena , and that negative media coverage leading up to the rally may have convinced some supporters not to attend .
On Sunday , Trump campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and online trolls doing a victory lap.
” He said in a statement emailed to The Verge that the campaign weeded out tens of thousands of bogus cell phone numbers that RSVP ’ d for the rally , and the “ phony ticket requests ” did not factor into the campaign ’ s calculations of possible attendance .
“ What makes this lame attempt at hacking our events even more foolish is the fact that every rally is general admission — entry is on a first-come-first-served basis and prior registration is not required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicated there were few protests in the area on Saturday , and the ones that did occur were largely peaceful .
The Washington Post reported that six people were arrested on charges that included obstruction , loitering , and similar offenses .
Oklahoma reported 331 new cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday , and six members of the Trump campaign ’ s advance team in Tulsa tested positive for the virus .
UPDATE June 21st 12:22PM ET : Added comment from Trump campaign .

As part of a coordinated effort, K-pop fans and teenage TikTok users scooped up tickets to President Trump’s Saturday rally in Tulsa, potentially leaving at least hundreds of empty seats, The New York Times reported. A tweet from the Trump campaign June 11th urged people to use their phones to register for the free tickets. The K-pop fans shared the information and encouraged their followers to get tickets, and then not show up for the rally. The plan quickly caught on on TikTok, where people followed the K-pop fans’ lead.
CNN credited Iowa grandmother Mary Jo Laupp with leading part of the charge on the video platform. She posted a TikTok video last week encouraging people to “go reserve tickets now and leave him standing alone there on the stage.”
YouTuber Elijah Daniel told the Times the plan spread quietly through an elite corner of TikTok where pranks and activism are regularly carried out. “K-pop Twitter and Alt TikTok have a good alliance where they spread information amongst each other very quickly,” he said. “They all know the algorithms and how they can boost videos to get where they want.”
Saturday was not the first time the fans of Korean pop music have used social media toward a common goal. Earlier this month, the K-pop crowd flooded right-wing social media hashtags like #MAGA and #BlueLivesMatter with memes, GIFs, and videos of K-pop artists.
The Trump campaign said last week the rally had more than a million requests for tickets to the rally at Bank of Oklahoma Center, which had been rescheduled from Friday to avoid coinciding with the Juneteenth holiday. But coverage of the event Saturday showed an area meant for an expected overflow crowd was mostly empty, and inside the arena, there were thousands of empty seats. Forbes reported that the Tulsa Fire Department said turnout was just under 6,200 people, less than half the venue’s 19,000-person capacity.
The campaign claimed protests had prevented many would-be rally attendees from being able to get inside the arena, and that negative media coverage leading up to the rally may have convinced some supporters not to attend.
On Sunday, Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtagh decried the “leftists and online trolls doing a victory lap.” He said in a statement emailed to The Verge that the campaign weeded out tens of thousands of bogus cell phone numbers that RSVP’d for the rally, and the “phony ticket requests” did not factor into the campaign’s calculations of possible attendance. “What makes this lame attempt at hacking our events even more foolish is the fact that every rally is general admission — entry is on a first-come-first-served basis and prior registration is not required,” Murtagh said.
Media reports indicated there were few protests in the area on Saturday, and the ones that did occur were largely peaceful. The Washington Post reported that six people were arrested on charges that included obstruction, loitering, and similar offenses.
Oklahoma reported 331 new cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday, and six members of the Trump campaign’s advance team in Tulsa tested positive for the virus.


theverge--2020-06-21--Amazon is ending support for the Dash Wand barcode scanner

Amazon is ending support for its Dash Wand , an Alexa-enabled device that let shoppers scan grocery barcodes and order household essentials from their homes .
In an email to users , the company said the devices will no longer be supported as of July 21st .
Shoppers can still use other Alexa-enabled devices to add items to a shopping list , the company noted .
Released in 2017 , the Wi-Fi-enabled Dash Wand was a few inches long and made out of white and black plastic , an update to Amazon ’ s original Dash devices .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patel said the Dash Wand was “ a fun toy and it certainly makes adding things to your Amazon cart easier.
” After giving them away to Prime members practically for free , however , Amazon didn ’ t do much else with the Wand .
The company killed its physical Dash buttons last year .
To dispose of a Dash Wand , check out Amazon ’ s recycling program .
If you have one you can de-register it from your Amazon account under the “ manage content and devices ” section .

Amazon is ending support for its Dash Wand, an Alexa-enabled device that let shoppers scan grocery barcodes and order household essentials from their homes. In an email to users, the company said the devices will no longer be supported as of July 21st. Shoppers can still use other Alexa-enabled devices to add items to a shopping list, the company noted.
Released in 2017, the Wi-Fi-enabled Dash Wand was a few inches long and made out of white and black plastic, an update to Amazon’s original Dash devices. In a 2017 product review, Verge editor Nilay Patel said the Dash Wand was “a fun toy and it certainly makes adding things to your Amazon cart easier.” After giving them away to Prime members practically for free, however, Amazon didn’t do much else with the Wand. The company killed its physical Dash buttons last year.


theverge--2020-06-21--Five features to hope for at WWDC

Five features to hope for at WWDC

On Monday , Apple will kick off its annual developer conference in the strangest and most contentious climate it has faced in many years .
Not only does Apple have to hold all of its presentations online , it ’ s doing so to a developer audience that has become aware of a collective , unspoken discontent .
Chaim Gartenberg has posted our long list of features you should expect to come to Apple ’ s operating systems this year .
The short version : what ’ s most likely is a smattering of feature updates for the iOS-based platforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and iOS and then a potentially massive shift for macOS from Intel to ARM .
That ’ s what you should expect , but there are five things that I ’ ve been wanting Apple to deliver for years .
Some of these have actually been rumored for this year , some are things I think Apple ought to do simply because they ’ re necessary .
Do I truly believe any of these five things will happen ?
In truth , I think that most of these are unlikely .
I hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t .
My best guess is I ’ ll get at least one , I ’ d be happy with two , and I ’ d be elated by three or more .
But everything on this list is something that users or developers have been wanting for years .
At a certain point , it ’ s just time .
Here ’ s hoping 2020 is that time .
Apple ’ s 30 percent App Store cut has come under heavy fire in the last week , and though Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will have a harder time recovering from the sense that developers fear Apple .
Ben Thompson , John Gruber , and many others have reported that developers big and small are just as unhappy as Hey and Spotify are with Apple ’ s terms — but are afraid to speak out .
Politicians have to proclaim their support for small business — and hope to receive support back from them .
It ’ s a sacrosanct group and anybody perceived to be taking advantage of them is not long for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the same way with tech companies and developers .
It ’ s fun to joke about the old Steve Ballmer ’ s “ Developers !
Developers !
Developers !
Developers !
” chant , but he did it for good reason .
What to hope for here ?
There are many ways it could go .
The simplest would be for Apple to drop its cut down to something less than the 30 percent ( 15 percent for long-term subscriptions ) it currently charges and then see if that appeases everybody .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ does .
It could simply give up and allow apps to use non-Apple payment systems — or it could follow Google and say only games have to use Apple ’ s payment system .
There are lots of options .
But I don ’ t think Apple will take any of them at WWDC .
This event is about unveiling new features and the ARM transition for the Mac .
This is one that I don ’ t expect Apple to directly address , because that ’ s not generally how Apple rolls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this scandal , everything Apple has said points to the company believing it ’ s in the right .
There won ’ t be a conference hall full of developers ready to grumble at each other if it doesn ’ t come up — though there will be Twitter .
There have been rumblings that Apple might finally allow you to set non-Apple apps as the defaults for certain core features .
Click on an email and perhaps it could open up Outlook instead of Apple ’ s Mail app — or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not Hey ) .
Same with regular links to web pages .
That ’ s the idea , but Apple has very much stood against allowing it for many , many versions of iOS .
It hasn ’ t really ruined the iPhone experience , but it does mean a lot more cutting and pasting than would otherwise be required .
I ’ d put this one at 50/50 , given the rumors .
But I wouldn ’ t expect Apple to budge on some other policies — like all web browsers being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ web rendering engine .
My secret hope , by the way , is that there would be a system-wide setting for banning in-app browsers and/or letting those browsers share cookies ( as they do on Android ) .
Imagine not having to re-log-in to the same sites in every single app where you happen to click a link .
Apparently there will be some kind of list view of all your apps — perhaps similar to how Android offers a separate app drawer .
You might also be able to add widgets to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have asked for precisely that since 2012 ( ! )
, I ’ m less eager for it now .
Apple ’ s left-of-home-screen widget tool is better than the way Android handles the home screen .
But if I could put a weather or calendar widget on the main home screen , I probably would .
That ’ s all well and good .
But what I really want is the ability to move icons down to the bottom of the home screen while leaving blank spaces at the top .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be a little easier to reach .
Forcing them to fill in from the top left is as annoying today as it was in 2012 .
It ’ s time , Apple !
For me , this is the most important feature .
It ’ s flatly ridiculous that the iPad only allows for one primary user account .
I am aware that there are ways to set up multi-user in an education context , but that doesn ’ t matter for the average consumer .
My frustration over this issue isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by the way .
I do not have kids and am lucky that both I and my partner can afford our own iPads .
But it seems like Apple wants that to be the solution for every household , and that ’ s just not right .
Multi-user support for the iPad would mean you could hand it to a child and keep them from getting into your iMessage or work email or whatever else you have installed .
It would mean families could set up their iPads as communal devices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one person .
You can buy a $ 40 tablet from Amazon that can do what the iPad can not : handle multi-user accounts , including strong parental controls and loads of cheap or free kids content .
It ’ s past time for Apple to offer something similar ( in terms to multi-user support , not price ) .
If you want to argue that the iPad isn ’ t technically “ a computer ” because it ’ s limited in this way , I ’ m annoyed enough by this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument .
I give this one a 25 percent chance of happening , if only because there ’ s been such a dearth of iPadOS rumors that I don ’ t know what else they ’ d have to announce .
iMessage for Android , RCS on the iPhone Look , I know this is not going to happen .
I hope for a lot of things that are never going to happen .
I hope I will win the lottery tomorrow .
But I still think that offering iMessage on Android would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do .
It would offer a nice way for Android users to get access to encrypted messaging without having to convince their friends to switch to Signal .
I will brook no arguments that somehow this would be a security nightmare for Apple : Signal handles it just fine .
So does WhatsApp .
As for RCS , well , if not this year then it needs to come next year .
Despite the carriers ’ inevitable keystone kops implementation , it will become the global standard to replace SMS and so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not technically hoping for it this year , though : I ’ d like Apple to hold out support until there ’ s a standard for encrypting those messages , too .
┏ Senate Republicans want to make it easier to sue tech companies for bias .
Russell Brandom : ┏ K-pop fans and TikTok teens say they reserved tickets for Trump ’ s Tulsa rally to leave seats empty .
┏ Apple will re-close some stores in Florida , North Carolina , South Carolina , and Arizona due to coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wi-Fi hotspot access through the end of 2020 .
┏ Google ’ s new Chrome extension lets you link directly to specific text on a page .
┏ Microsoft to upgrade its xCloud servers to Xbox Series X hardware in 2021 .
Tom Warren : ┏ Fortnite ’ s new season has flooded the map .
Andrew Webster : ┏ Pokémon Snap is coming to the Nintendo Switch .
┏ Twitter starts rolling out audio tweets on iOS .
These were fun for precisely 30 minutes in my Twitter timeline and then they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term usage will look like .
More and more I think Twitter could benefit from a “ media feed ” in addition to the standard feed .

On Monday, Apple will kick off its annual developer conference in the strangest and most contentious climate it has faced in many years. Not only does Apple have to hold all of its presentations online, it’s doing so to a developer audience that has become aware of a collective, unspoken discontent.
Chaim Gartenberg has posted our long list of features you should expect to come to Apple’s operating systems this year. The short version: what’s most likely is a smattering of feature updates for the iOS-based platforms like iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and iOS and then a potentially massive shift for macOS from Intel to ARM.
That’s what you should expect, but there are five things that I’ve been wanting Apple to deliver for years. Some of these have actually been rumored for this year, some are things I think Apple ought to do simply because they’re necessary. Do I truly believe any of these five things will happen? In truth, I think that most of these are unlikely. I hope they happen, but I think they won’t. My best guess is I’ll get at least one, I’d be happy with two, and I’d be elated by three or more.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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But everything on this list is something that users or developers have been wanting for years. At a certain point, it’s just time. Here’s hoping 2020 is that time.
Apple changes its App Store policies
Apple’s 30 percent App Store cut has come under heavy fire in the last week, and though Apple could probably weather the storm of discontent, it will have a harder time recovering from the sense that developers fear Apple. Ben Thompson, John Gruber, and many others have reported that developers big and small are just as unhappy as Hey and Spotify are with Apple’s terms — but are afraid to speak out.
Politicians have to proclaim their support for small business — and hope to receive support back from them. It’s a sacrosanct group and anybody perceived to be taking advantage of them is not long for their office, regardless of party. It is the same way with tech companies and developers. It’s fun to joke about the old Steve Ballmer’s “Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers!” chant, but he did it for good reason.
What to hope for here? There are many ways it could go. The simplest would be for Apple to drop its cut down to something less than the 30 percent (15 percent for long-term subscriptions) it currently charges and then see if that appeases everybody. It could allow side-loading, as Android does. It could simply give up and allow apps to use non-Apple payment systems — or it could follow Google and say only games have to use Apple’s payment system. There are lots of options.
But I don’t think Apple will take any of them at WWDC. This event is about unveiling new features and the ARM transition for the Mac. This is one that I don’t expect Apple to directly address, because that’s not generally how Apple rolls in the Tim Cook era. Especially with this scandal, everything Apple has said points to the company believing it’s in the right. There won’t be a conference hall full of developers ready to grumble at each other if it doesn’t come up — though there will be Twitter.
Choose your own default apps
There have been rumblings that Apple might finally allow you to set non-Apple apps as the defaults for certain core features. Click on an email and perhaps it could open up Outlook instead of Apple’s Mail app — or maybe Gmail or Hey (OK, not Hey). Same with regular links to web pages.
That’s the idea, but Apple has very much stood against allowing it for many, many versions of iOS. It hasn’t really ruined the iPhone experience, but it does mean a lot more cutting and pasting than would otherwise be required.
I’d put this one at 50/50, given the rumors. But I wouldn’t expect Apple to budge on some other policies — like all web browsers being required to use Apple’s webkit web rendering engine. My secret hope, by the way, is that there would be a system-wide setting for banning in-app browsers and/or letting those browsers share cookies (as they do on Android). Imagine not having to re-log-in to the same sites in every single app where you happen to click a link.
Home screen customization
Apparently there will be some kind of list view of all your apps — perhaps similar to how Android offers a separate app drawer. You might also be able to add widgets to home screens. Ironically, while I have asked for precisely that since 2012 (!), I’m less eager for it now. Apple’s left-of-home-screen widget tool is better than the way Android handles the home screen.
But if I could put a weather or calendar widget on the main home screen, I probably would. That’s all well and good. But what I really want is the ability to move icons down to the bottom of the home screen while leaving blank spaces at the top. Our phones are HUGE now, our icons should be a little easier to reach. Forcing them to fill in from the top left is as annoying today as it was in 2012. It’s time, Apple!
True multi-user support on the iPad
For me, this is the most important feature. It’s flatly ridiculous that the iPad only allows for one primary user account. I am aware that there are ways to set up multi-user in an education context, but that doesn’t matter for the average consumer.
My frustration over this issue isn’t borne of a personal need, by the way. I do not have kids and am lucky that both I and my partner can afford our own iPads. But it seems like Apple wants that to be the solution for every household, and that’s just not right.
Multi-user support for the iPad would mean you could hand it to a child and keep them from getting into your iMessage or work email or whatever else you have installed. It would mean families could set up their iPads as communal devices, something that belongs to everybody instead of to one person.
You can buy a $40 tablet from Amazon that can do what the iPad cannot: handle multi-user accounts, including strong parental controls and loads of cheap or free kids content. It’s past time for Apple to offer something similar (in terms to multi-user support, not price).
If you want to argue that the iPad isn’t technically “a computer” because it’s limited in this way, I’m annoyed enough by this issue to just let you win that argument. I give this one a 25 percent chance of happening, if only because there’s been such a dearth of iPadOS rumors that I don’t know what else they’d have to announce.
iMessage for Android, RCS on the iPhone
Look, I know this is not going to happen. I hope for a lot of things that are never going to happen. I hope I will win the lottery tomorrow.
But I still think that offering iMessage on Android would be the morally correct thing for Apple to do. It would offer a nice way for Android users to get access to encrypted messaging without having to convince their friends to switch to Signal. I will brook no arguments that somehow this would be a security nightmare for Apple: Signal handles it just fine. So does WhatsApp.
As for RCS, well, if not this year then it needs to come next year. Despite the carriers’ inevitable keystone kops implementation, it will become the global standard to replace SMS and so Apple should get on board. I’m not technically hoping for it this year, though: I’d like Apple to hold out support until there’s a standard for encrypting those messages, too.
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Policy
┏ Senate Republicans want to make it easier to sue tech companies for bias. Russell Brandom:
Called the Limiting Section 230 Immunity to Good Samaritans Act, the bill would require companies to undertake a “duty of good faith” in order to receive the protections of Section 230, instituting significant penalties for companies who do not uphold that duty. The result would be a major new avenue for users to sue platforms for improper moderation practices.
The Department of Justice has released a proposal for changing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, urging Congress to pass a dramatic reduction in the law’s scope and expose services like apps and websites to greater legal liability. The proposal creates new categories of “egregious content” that wouldn’t be covered, makes it potentially easier to sue for content removal, and denies protection if a service “purposefully facilitates or solicits third-party content” that’s illegal.
Covid-19
Tech
It’s easy to dismiss the IdeaPad Gaming 3’s faults when you consider its price, but the reality is Lenovo could have done a better job here. It’s great that it includes a powerful processor and high refresh rate display, but without a better graphics card, those benefits go to waste.
┏ Microsoft to upgrade its xCloud servers to Xbox Series X hardware in 2021. Tom Warren:
We understand Microsoft is still on track for an xCloud launch later this year on Android mobile devices. Microsoft started testing xCloud on iOS earlier this year, but admitted it can’t fully test its service on Apple’s platform due to some unspecified App Store restrictions. The software maker has been trying to pressure Apple into adjusting its App Store policies to allow xCloud to launch on iOS, but those discussions are ongoing and it’s unlikely the service will launch fully on Apple devices later this year.
The new season of Fortnite is finally here — and it brought with it a flood. Today Epic Games released the long-delayed third season for Fortnite: Chapter 2, following a massive event earlier in the week which saw the game’s battle royale island surrounded by a wall of water. Fittingly, the new season has submerged large areas of the island, creating a bigger focus on aquatic gameplay elements. That includes a new Waterworld-style floating city area, and the ability to water ski — while pulled by a shark.