Apple angered many in the iPhone and iPad developer community yesterday when it announced that iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 would be available to consumers today. A single day’s notice is a big departure from the company’s usual approach, where developers are given about a week’s notice to put the finishing touches on their apps ahead of the major operating system release.
The surprise comes as some iOS developers are already exasperated with the way Apple is exerting control over its App Store. Ben Thompson, Kara Swisher, and John Gruber all reported earlier this year that many are terrified about speaking up about policies they think are unfair.
Nevertheless, Apple developers have sure been vocal about the sudden iOS 14 launch.
On the face of it, the launch of iOS 14 just a day after Apple’s event is a great piece of news. Today’s release will be the first chance for most people to try iOS 14’s new bells and whistles, which include new home screen widgets, a picture-in-picture mode, and a new Translation app, to name just a few. But it wasn’t great news for iOS developers, who were left with a tight deadline to compile, test, and submit their apps in time for iOS 14’s launch day. It’s unwelcome stress for many developers, summed up so eloquently by Halide camera’s co-founder and designer Sebastiaan de With:
iPhone user seb: “oh hell yeah ios 14 is coming tomorrow”
“I think a lot of developers won’t be sleeping tonight, or instead just give up and opt to release as and when they want to instead of alongside the new OS,” iOS developer Shihab Mehboob told me after Apple’s event. Or as another developer, Jesse Squires, put it less charitably in a blog post, “Why is Apple acting like an Asshole?”
“I get how whiny this sounds, but I think this is the most negative I’ve felt after an Apple event,” Dark Noise developer Charlie Chapman tweeted. “I don’t push myself that hard, but I did do a lot of work to prepare to hit the “day one” release for iOS 14.”
“Legit probbaabbblyyy not gonna do any of that “sleeping” stuff tonight,” Christian Selig, the developer behind the Apollo Reddit app tweeted.
Legit probbaabbblyyy not gonna do any of that “sleeping” stuff tonight. ☕️
“A big WTF at Apple dropping iOS 14 tomorrow without giving developers any notice, or final tools to submit their apps,” developer Steve Troughton-Smith said.
To be clear, yesterday wasn’t the first time developers heard about iOS 14. Apple announced the new software back at its developer conference in June, and its first developer beta was released on the same day. Most developers will have spent the months since adding new iOS 14 features and making sure their apps are compatible with the new software.
Apple’s September iPhone event has traditionally been a crucial day for developers because it’s the day the company releases the so-called “Golden Master” (GM) versions of iOS and the Xcode developer tools. This is the same build Apple will usually release to the public “99 percent of the time,” iOS developer Rhys Morgan tells me. It’s a key milestone, and it’s the moment developers can get started on the final version of their software without worrying that something might change before its release. Apple put out the GM versions after yesterday’s event, just a day before the release of iOS 14.
iOS betas change frequently on the way to the GM release. Sometimes these changes are minor, but other times, there will be new features that get cut or others rejigged in response to bugs. One such example was posted on Twitter by developer Peter Steinberger, who noted that Apple has removed support for a new API with iOS 14’s GM release, after it appeared in the beta releases.
“So if your app had been using [the new API] or you were releasing a framework using that, all of a sudden… you can’t. That’s it, it’s gone, you’ve got to replace it,” Morgan says. The week that developers normally get between the GM release and the official release of a new version of iOS is useful for ironing out these kinds of issues.
As if the deadline looming over developers wasn’t bad enough, even once a developer has downloaded the latest development tools and recompiled their app, they have to go through Apple’s App Store approval process to make their wares available for download. This is a process that developers sometimes set aside a whole week for to allow time to address any concerns that the review process might raise. Over the past day, some developers have reported that their apps have been approved by Apple in as little as one to two hours, Morgan says, which is much faster than normal, leading to some speculation that Apple is expediting iOS 14 app approvals. However, others, like Chapman, say they’re still waiting for their apps to be approved hours later.
At least one high-profile app has warned its users not to upgrade to the latest version of iOS if they want to continue using its software. Yesterday, the official Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Twitter account confirmed that its app cannot open on devices running iOS 14. “We do not recommend you to update your device to iOS 14 until we have fixed this issue,” its tweet read.
However, the developers I spoke to said that it was unlikely we’d see piles of broken apps as iPhone owners start updating to iOS 14. They said that newer versions of iOS are generally good at running older software designed for its previous versions, and that having had access to iOS 14’s beta versions will have given developers time to prepare for any big changes that are on the way.
“I mean, we’ve had iOS 14 since WWDC. I don’t think this is going to have this mass effect where everything’s just broken on the App Store,” Halide’s de With explains. “If by now your app is in an extremely broken state on iOS 14 it would have been broken on release. I don’t think it would have been that big of an issue.”
Chapman agrees that it’s unlikely many older apps will be broken by iOS 14. “It’s frustrating, but I really don’t think that the customer experience is actually going to be that bad,” he says.
But the developers I spoke to also suggested that the tight turnaround may mean that some of iOS 14’s new features might not be widely supported on launch day. De With says that the Halide team would have “loved to” have supported iOS 14’s new home screen widgets feature on launch day, for example.
Supporting these major new features can result in big publicity boosts for smaller developers. Chapman tells me that he’d been planning for his app to support Apple’s new home screen widgets feature in the hope it would lead to press coverage on day one of iOS 14’s release, as publications round up the best apps with support for the operating system’s latest features.
For some developers, however, the changes to this year’s release schedule are more of a relief. For an app like Halide, which prides itself on supporting both the latest and greatest hardware and software features of each iPhone, this year’s delayed iPhone release makes things easier than previous years, de With tells me. The team can focus on making sure Halide works seamlessly on existing iPhones running iOS 14 for now (they expect to push a small compatibility update next week), and then build in support for whatever new camera hardware arrives with the iPhone 12 when that’s released next month.
The big question is why Apple chose to release iOS 14 today in the first place since it doesn’t have any new iPhone hardware in urgent need of a new operating system.
Morgan and Chapman tell me that Apple needed iOS 14 to be available to coincide with the release of the new Apple Watch Series 6, which runs the new watchOS 7 out of the box. Apple says the new version of watchOS requires iOS 14 for setup. However, that doesn’t explain why Apple chose to release iOS 14 today, rather than waiting until the smartwatch’s release on Friday.
In any other year, giving iOS developers a day’s notice that a new version of iOS is about to arrive might have been written off as an annoyance. But in 2020, when Apple’s App Store policies are facing an unprecedented amount of regulatory and legal scrutiny, it starts to look like an unforced error. Apple needs allies now more than ever, and policies like a new appeals process are clearly designed to address developer concerns. But its hurried iOS 14 release has done it no favors.
Apple did not return The Verge’s request for comment.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
