Monday, August 24, 2020

iPad & iPhone User 159 Out Today

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iPad & iPhone User is the essential guide to the iPad and iPhone. Readers can get more out of their Apple device with its simple tutorials, buying advice and expert reviews of the latest apps, games and accessories.

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Apple Korea Pledges $84 Million to Support Small Businesses and Settle Antitrust Probe

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Apple's South Korea business has offered to make a 100 billion won ($84 million) payout to support small businesses and help consumers, according to the country's competition watchdog (via Reuters).


The Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) investigated Apple Korea in 2016 for requiring SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG Uplus Corp to pay the cost of television advertisements and warranty service for its iPhones. The probe found that Apple holds a clear advantage over local mobile carriers and that handing over the cost of advertisements was another means of squeezing the profits of the carriers.

In June of this year, the antitrust regulator decided to allow Apple to map out a set of measures to address its anti-competitive business practices in the country, and Apple has now agreed to fix unfair terms with mobile carriers as part of its proposal. Apple said it will discuss how to share advertising costs with telecoms firms, which will help reduce burdens to carriers, the KFTC said in a briefing.

Apple has reportedly pledged to offer 40 billion won ($34 million) to build a center to support research and development for Korea's small manufacturers and 25 billion won ($21 million) to establish an "academy" to provide education to developers. The rest of the 100 billion won would be used to give consumer discounts on warranty repair costs and other benefits, according to Reuters.

Provided the KFTC accepts Apple's offer, the regulator will close the case and conclude that Apple has not done anything illegal.

Even if that does happen though, Apple could be facing another probe by Korean regulators for its business practices. Last week, an alliance of app developers and small companies submitted a petition to the Korea Communications Commission asking for an investigation into whether Apple and Google may be violating Korean laws on in-app purchases and anti-competitive behavior.
This article, "Apple Korea Pledges $84 Million to Support Small Businesses and Settle Antitrust Probe" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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OPPO F17, F17 Pro Specifications Leaked Ahead of India Launch, Amazon and Flipkart Availability Confirmed


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WeChat Users Group Sues Trump Administration Over 'Unconstitutional' Ban

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A group of WeChat users has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in an effort to block an executive order that would ban the app in the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Earlier this month, President Trump signed two executive orders that would officially ban any U.S. transactions with ByteDance and Tencent, the Chinese companies that own TikTok and WeChat, respectively. The order will be enacted on September 20, but TikTok can avoid a ban if an American company can agree a deal to acquire its U.S. operations before that date.

Filed by the WeChat Users Alliance and several other plaintiffs in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, the lawsuit claims the executive order to ban WeChat is unconstitutional and violates the right to free speech. It also claims the ban illegally targets Chinese-Americans who use WeChat to communicate with Chinese citizens. An attorney for the group, which is made up of people who depend on WeChat for personal and business purposes, says it is hoping that the Trump administration will have to clarify which WeChat transactions would be subject to the ban.

WeChat is extremely popular with Chinese mobile device users, essentially operating as its own platform on top of iOS and Android for many users, but the app is also widely used around the world and has over 1.2 billion monthly active users.

It's still unclear whether the ban applies to the WeChat app only in the United States or if it will result in the removal of the WeChat app from iPhones across the globe. At any rate, any ban would be bad news for Apple. In a worst-case scenario, Apple's annual global iPhone shipments could decline by 25–30% if it is forced to remove WeChat from its App Stores around the world, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a Weibo survey, 95 percent of the 1.2 million people who responded said they would switch to an Android smartphone over an ‌‌iPhone‌‌ rather than give up WeChat.

Over the weekend, TikTok also confirmed it plans to sue the Trump administration over the executive order, perhaps as early as Monday. ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, is believed to be in talks with Microsoft about the software giant acquiring the app's U.S. operations. Other companies including Twitter are also reportedly in talks with TikTok.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Tag: WeChat

This article, "WeChat Users Group Sues Trump Administration Over 'Unconstitutional' Ban" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Marina Bay Sands Retail Store to Open Soon in Singapore

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Apple today announced the imminent opening of Apple Marina Bay Sands, its third and arguably most distinctive retail store in the country of Singapore.

Image credit: Today

Apple Marina Bay Sands has a unique dome-like design unlike any other Apple store. The spherical structure sits on a body of water that was previously occupied by the mega-nightclub Avalon on Singapore's Marina Bay, home to the country's most renowned integrated luxury resort.

Apple's webpage for the retail location says the company will "soon open the doors" to the new store, which will be the third to open in the region in just over three years.
We will soon open the doors to our new store by the Bay. Apple Marina Bay Sands will be at the heart of creativity, a place we’ve made for you to capture your ideas and passions. It will be a space for you to explore, connect and create something new. We can't wait to see where your imagination takes you.
Apple's iconic Jewel store opened in Singapore's main airport in July of last year. The company opened its first Singapore store in May 2017 at Knightsbridge mall in Orchard Road. Apple Orchard Road was also the first Apple store to open its doors in South-east Asia.
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