by Jason Snell

January 21, 2016 9:26 AM PT

Why Apple Defends Encryption

Over at TidBITS, Rich Mogull offers a good overview of why Apple is taking a prominent role in arguing that encryption of user data is a good thing:

Apple is nearly unique among technology leaders in that it’s high profile, has revenue lines that don’t rely on compromising privacy, and sells products that are squarely in the crosshairs of the encryption debate. Because of this, Apple comes from a far more defensible position, especially now that the company is dropping its iAd App Network.

Most politicians don’t understand much about technology to begin with, and have government officials and asinine editorial boards feeding them misinformation. The results may seem like a joke right now, but in the long run this could be a disaster. Apple is doing the right thing here. Other tech companies need to step up and join the conversation.

by Dan Moren

January 21, 2016 7:07 AM PT

Apple opening iOS App Development Center in Italy

Want to study iOS app development? You’ll soon be able to do so in Italy, with Apple’s help:

The iOS App Development Center, to be located at a partner institution in Naples, will support teachers and provide a specialized curriculum preparing thousands of future developers to be part of Apple’s thriving developer community. In addition, Apple will work with partners around Italy who deliver developer training to complement this curriculum and create additional opportunities for students. Apple expects to expand this program to other countries around the world.

This reminds me a bit of the late ’90s, when I graduated high school, and everybody was being told to get into computer science, because that’s where the jobs and money would be. Which was true, for a while, but it eventually became oversaturated. Granted, computers and apps aren’t going anywhere, so maybe this is just Apple’s way of extending its soup-to-nuts control on app development.

by Jason Snell

January 20, 2016 10:01 AM PT

On iPad Pro, Google apps are a second-class citizen

As an iPad Pro and Google Apps user myself, I share Serenity Caldwell’s frustration over the state of Google’s iOS apps:

Despite receiving several updates in the last few months, Google’s apps haven’t been updated for Apple’s larger tablet. And there’s no hope, as there is with Facebook, of using Google’s in-theory-HTML5-and-therefore-iPad-compliant website: Google’s standard web view on an iPad flat-out punts you to the apps—if the website even correctly detects you have the app installed. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen the websites try and send me to the App Store to open a spreadsheet, when I clearly have Sheets already available.

The lack of updates for these apps has become a running joke among iPad users.

by Jason Snell

January 20, 2016 9:58 AM PT

Apple’s iOS audio apps get an update

Today Apple released an update to GarageBand on iOS, an update to the Logic Remote iOS app that’s a companion to Logic Pro X on the Mac, and a whole new app called Music Memos.

Jim Dalrymple has a nice overview of Music Memos over at The Loop. Sounds like a great way for musicians and songwriters to quickly get down their musical ideas when they’re on the go.

by Dan Moren

January 19, 2016 7:55 AM PT

Apple releases 2015 diversity numbers

Apple posted its diversity numbers for 2015 over the weekend, not long after news broke that the company’s board had argued against a shareholder proposal to increase the diversity of its board and management.

The overall numbers for 2015 have made small amounts of progress, going from 30 percent women to 31 percent, for example, as well as slim percentage increases in the numbers of black and Asian employees. But there’s still a ton of work to be done: for example, even though Apple has added four black or African American executives or managers in the past year–two men and two women–it also added 13 white males at the same time. Apple’s senior leadership remains predominantly white and male.

For a different look at the data, someone has assembled a chart showing the percentage changes based on Apple’s EEO-1 forms from last year and this past year.

by Jason Snell

January 18, 2016 3:52 PM PT

SpaceX landing: So close…

Yesterday SpaceX tried to land the first stage of their Falcon rocket on a drone barge in the Pacific Ocean. It would’ve been the first time that feat had been accomplished—the company landed a first stage on dry land at Cape Canaveral last month—and they came so close.

Unfortunately, the lockout collet didn’t land on one of the four legs, so even though the rocket hit its target perfectly, it couldn’t stay standing, and toppled over. Still, this is an amazing feat—and huge news for the space industry, because once rockets can be routinely re-used, the cost of spaceflight will decrease dramatically.

Falcon lands on droneship, but the lockout collet doesn't latch on one the four legs, causing it to tip over post landing. Root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff.

A video posted by Elon Musk (@elonmusk) on Jan 17, 2016 at 7:07pm PST

by Jason Snell

January 18, 2016 2:28 PM PT

Happy 30th birthday, Mac Plus

Hard to believe it’s been two years since the Mac’s 30th anniversary, but here we are at the 30th anniversary of the Mac Plus.¹

To celebrate the occasion, Apple’s Chris Espinosa told a story—storified by Dori Smith—about buying the first Mac Plus… before the Mac Plus had actually been released. It is, in the end, a (sadly) appropriate story for MLK day.

by Jason Snell

January 15, 2016 12:22 PM PT

Apple’s diversity distraction

Alice Truong at Quartz covered a proposal to increase the diversity of Apple’s board of directors and senior management:

The proposal by investor Antonio Avian Maldonado II criticizes Apple for being “painstaking slow” to increase representation of minorities in its leadership and board. In a proxy statement filed Jan. 6, Apple’s board called Maldonado’s proposal “unduly burdensome and not necessary,” citing its ongoing diversity efforts.

Apple’s “ongoing efforts” are funding college scholarships at historically black college and universities, providing technology to underserved schools, and sponsoring other pro-diversity events. Spending money is great, but as Tim Cook himself said in Apple’s most recent report on diversity at Apple, “there is a lot more work to be done.”

Apple’s reply to Maldonado’s statement does specify that “the Nominating Committee of our Board of Directors actively seeks out highly qualified women and individuals from minority groups to include in the pool from which Board nominees are chosen, and this has been reflected in our most recent appointments to the board.”

That’s a bit better. Because writing checks to good causes won’t change the composition of Apple’s board and senior management—only action will.