Apple has launched four new models in its most awaited lineup- the iPhone 13 series. The company has also launched the new iPad mini expanding its 5g connectivity and showing off faster chips and sharper cameras without raising the phone's price. The iPhone Pro model will cost around Rs 119,900 in India and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be Rs 129,900.

iPhone 13 series announced: Here are specifications, price and more

Apple event is something that grabs a lot of eyeballs globally. No matter the price of the gadgets, Apple fans will still tell you that they are the best and get you max bang for your buck.

iPhone 13 made a grand entry on the tech stage with Apple CEO Tim Cook presenting the latest top-of-the-line on the Apple shelves. But what caught the attention of Bollywood fans was the&nbsp;Dum Maro Dum tune played at the very start of the promotion video.

The iconic guitar notes were too hard to miss. And this sent the social media mills running. It is now coming to light that the actual song was 'Work All Day' by Footsie. But the artist had undoubtedly used the recognisable Hindi tune.

Before Twitter reactions, check out the video first.

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Apple using Dum Maro Dum! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AppleEvent</a> <a href="https://t.co/FDIPmugLF6">pic.twitter.com/FDIPmugLF6</a>
— Priyank (@hey_priyank) <a href="https://twitter.com/hey_priyank/status/1437838220075622400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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As expected, Indian Twitter went crazy with all sorts of reactions

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Did <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Apple?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Apple</a> just used Dum maro Dum song in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AppleEvent</a> to launch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iphone13series?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iphone13series</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/8ItU0VNaCY">pic.twitter.com/8ItU0VNaCY</a>
— Shubham Mishra (@helloiamshubham) <a href="https://twitter.com/helloiamshubham/status/1437838859866292224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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Why <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AppleEvent</a> is running "Dum Maro Dum" music?
— Jaynti Kanani (@_jdkanani) <a href="https://twitter.com/_jdkanani/status/1437837836271570947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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THEY USED DUM MARO DUM MUSIC HELPP
— juhi⁷ || ishq day (@bluendgreypjm) <a href="https://twitter.com/bluendgreypjm/status/1437837705753161729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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Did I just listen to a “Dum Maro Dum” remix at an iPhone event? 🤔
— Vidit Bhargava (@viditb) <a href="https://twitter.com/viditb/status/1437838155785244672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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We know that the iconic song is shot on Zeenat Aman. But some Tweeple appeared to give Deepika Padukone the credit. Maybe it was a reference to the remix that came out a few years ago.

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Two Observations from iPhone 13 commercial. 
 
1. Can a delivery boy afford an iPhone13 as shown in the ad ? 
 
2. The bgm sounds similar to Deepika Padukone’s Dum Maro Dum<a href="https://t.co/qiiytheXDI">https://t.co/qiiytheXDI</a>
— Krishikesh Khairnar (@KrishKhairnar) <a href="https://twitter.com/KrishKhairnar/status/1437858360800395265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Some Indian users were in a different sort of 'gham'

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🙄This Dum maro dum is out of my budget
— Gaganpreet Kaur (@fabgagan) <a href="https://twitter.com/fabgagan/status/1437949667728265216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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But all said and done, the apple event did have quite a following as the streaming was watched by 2 million people worldwide.

Apple did not announce any blockbuster features or products, but analysts expect customers hanging onto older models like the iPhone X will be eager to upgrade. To encourage trade-ins, participating wireless carriers are offering incentives ahead of the year-end holiday season that to make the new phones free to some customers.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-unveils-iphone-13-adds-new-features-to-ipads-watches-413123">Apple unveils iPhone 13, adds new features to iPads, watches</a>

The iPhone 13 will have a new chip called the A15 Bionic that enables features like automatically translating text. The phone also has a better display, longer battery life and a Cinematic mode for automatically changing focus while taking videos. Apple said the iPhone 13 will have custom 5G antennas and radio components for faster speeds and will come in five colors.

The phone will start at $699, and participating wireless carriers will offer up to $700 off for qualifying trade-ins. The iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and the Pro Max starts at $1,099, with trade-in offers of up to $1,000. All three models will be available Sept. 24.

Apple event is something that grabs a lot of eyeballs globally. No matter the price of the gadgets, Apple fans will still tell you that they are the best and get you max bang for your buck.

Apple event is something that grabs a lot of eyeballs globally. No matter the price of the gadgets, Apple fans will still tell you that they are the best and get you max bang for your buck. iPhone 13 made a grand entry on the tech stage with Apple CEO Tim Cook presenting the latest top-of-the-line on the Apple shelves. But what caught the attention of Bollywood fans was the Dum Maro Dum tune played at the very start of the promotion video. The iconic guitar notes were too hard to miss. And this sent the social media mills running. It is now coming to light that the actual song was 'Work All Day' by Footsie. But the artist had undoubtedly used the recognisable Hindi tune. Before Twitter reactions, check out the video first. Apple using Dum Maro Dum! #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/FDIPmugLF6 — Priyank (@hey_priyank) September 14, 2021 × As expected, Indian Twitter went crazy with all sorts of reactions Did #Apple just used Dum maro Dum song in #AppleEvent to launch #iphone13series ? pic.twitter.com/8ItU0VNaCY — Shubham Mishra (@helloiamshubham) September 14, 2021 × Why #AppleEvent is running "Dum Maro Dum" music? — Jaynti Kanani (@_jdkanani) September 14, 2021 × THEY USED DUM MARO DUM MUSIC HELPP — juhi⁷ || ishq day (@bluendgreypjm) September 14, 2021 × Did I just listen to a “Dum Maro Dum” remix at an iPhone event? 🤔 — Vidit Bhargava (@viditb) September 14, 2021 × We know that the iconic song is shot on Zeenat Aman. But some Tweeple appeared to give Deepika Padukone the credit. Maybe it was a reference to the remix that came out a few years ago. Two Observations from iPhone 13 commercial. 1. Can a delivery boy afford an iPhone13 as shown in the ad ? 2. The bgm sounds similar to Deepika Padukone’s Dum Maro Dumhttps://t.co/qiiytheXDI — Krishikesh Khairnar (@KrishKhairnar) September 14, 2021 × Some Indian users were in a different sort of 'gham' 🙄This Dum maro dum is out of my budget — Gaganpreet Kaur (@fabgagan) September 15, 2021 × But all said and done, the apple event did have quite a following as the streaming was watched by 2 million people worldwide. Apple did not announce any blockbuster features or products, but analysts expect customers hanging onto older models like the iPhone X will be eager to upgrade. To encourage trade-ins, participating wireless carriers are offering incentives ahead of the year-end holiday season that to make the new phones free to some customers. Also Read | Apple unveils iPhone 13, adds new features to iPads, watches The iPhone 13 will have a new chip called the A15 Bionic that enables features like automatically translating text. The phone also has a better display, longer battery life and a Cinematic mode for automatically changing focus while taking videos. Apple said the iPhone 13 will have custom 5G antennas and radio components for faster speeds and will come in five colors. The phone will start at $699, and participating wireless carriers will offer up to $700 off for qualifying trade-ins. The iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and the Pro Max starts at $1,099, with trade-in offers of up to $1,000. All three models will be available Sept. 24.

Apple Event 2021: 'Dum Maro Dum' tune sparks social media frenzy

Apple launched the latest and most awaited new iPhone model, called the iPhone 13, to over 2 million viewers on YouTube on Tuesday. The tech giants released four variants of the iPhone 13. They are the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-event-2021-dum-maro-dum-tune-sparks-social-media-frenzy-413144" hreflang="en">Apple Event 2021: 'Dum Maro Dum' tune sparks social media frenzy</a>

According to Apple, the iPhone 13 sports a smaller display cutout, or "notch," at the top of the screen, as well as larger batteries that deliver between 1.5 and 2.5 hours of battery life, depending on device size, over last year's models.&nbsp;

However, Apple did not go for a radical change in the phone's design due to which it drew a lot of comparisons from its predecessor the iPhone 12. Twitteratis trolled the design&nbsp;of the iPhone 13&nbsp;and found it difficult to spot any differences from iPhone 12.&nbsp;

Check out some of the hilarious tweets on the phone's similar design:&nbsp;

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Me looking at the difference between iPhone 12 and 13 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AppleEvent</a> <a href="https://t.co/9EGdw1EWDW">pic.twitter.com/9EGdw1EWDW</a>
— daniel 🥞 (@manieldad) <a href="https://twitter.com/manieldad/status/1437834410016088069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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iPhone 12 users upgraded to iPhone 13 be like : <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AppleEvent</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Z4nNS1W7L">pic.twitter.com/6Z4nNS1W7L</a>
— 𝓝 (@IhrVortrag) <a href="https://twitter.com/IhrVortrag/status/1437952133123297281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Me trying to spot the difference between iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 13 pro max <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AppleEvent</a> <a href="https://t.co/vdAgMBxfgg">pic.twitter.com/vdAgMBxfgg</a>
— Jsemfrajeeer (@jsemfrajeeer) <a href="https://twitter.com/jsemfrajeeer/status/1437900031412080640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Iphone 12 users upgrading to Iphone 13 💀🤑 
 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AppleEvent</a> <a href="https://t.co/JNPAVfIlFc">pic.twitter.com/JNPAVfIlFc</a>
— Shehroz :) (@JattBruce) <a href="https://twitter.com/JattBruce/status/1437863871960731649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The iPhone 13 will be available in five colours and will contain a new chip called the A15 Bionic, which will enable functions such as automatically detecting when the phone's camera is directed at text.&nbsp;

The iPad Mini has also been updated with 5G connection and a new design that resembles the higher-end iPad Air and Pro versions.

Apple also added a new camera to its base-model iPad, allowing users to work and learn from home.

The iPad starts at $329 for the standard model and $499 for the Mini.

Next week, both will be available for sale.

Apple launched the latest and most awaited new iPhone model, called the iPhone 13, to over 2 million viewers on YouTube on Tuesday. The tech giants released four variants of the iPhone 13.

Apple launched the latest and most awaited new iPhone model, called the iPhone 13, to over 2 million viewers on YouTube on Tuesday. The tech giants released four variants of the iPhone 13. They are the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. ALSO READ: Apple Event 2021: 'Dum Maro Dum' tune sparks social media frenzy According to Apple, the iPhone 13 sports a smaller display cutout, or "notch," at the top of the screen, as well as larger batteries that deliver between 1.5 and 2.5 hours of battery life, depending on device size, over last year's models. However, Apple did not go for a radical change in the phone's design due to which it drew a lot of comparisons from its predecessor the iPhone 12. Twitteratis trolled the design of the iPhone 13 and found it difficult to spot any differences from iPhone 12. Check out some of the hilarious tweets on the phone's similar design: Me looking at the difference between iPhone 12 and 13 #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/9EGdw1EWDW — daniel 🥞 (@manieldad) September 14, 2021 × iPhone 12 users upgraded to iPhone 13 be like : #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/6Z4nNS1W7L — 𝓝 (@IhrVortrag) September 15, 2021 × Me trying to spot the difference between iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 13 pro max #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/vdAgMBxfgg — Jsemfrajeeer (@jsemfrajeeer) September 14, 2021 × Iphone 12 users upgrading to Iphone 13 💀🤑 #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/JNPAVfIlFc — Shehroz :) (@JattBruce) September 14, 2021 × The iPhone 13 will be available in five colours and will contain a new chip called the A15 Bionic, which will enable functions such as automatically detecting when the phone's camera is directed at text. The iPad Mini has also been updated with 5G connection and a new design that resembles the higher-end iPad Air and Pro versions. Apple also added a new camera to its base-model iPad, allowing users to work and learn from home. The iPad starts at $329 for the standard model and $499 for the Mini. Next week, both will be available for sale.

What's the difference? Netizens wonder as new iPhone 13 is almost like iPhone 12

A US judge on Friday ordered Apple to loosen control over its App Store payment system, a blow to the global tech giant sparked by its anti-trust battle with Fortnite maker Epic Games.

In a ruling with significant potential to alter the digital economy, Apple will no longer be allowed to force developers to use its tightly-controlled sales tool.

It's a change loudly demanded by app producers because of the up to 30 percent commission on purchases, however the judge also ruled that Epic had not proved its claim of illegal monopoly -- which prompted a sigh of relief from Apple.

Lawsuits, rules and probes have piled up for the iPhone maker, but it was noncommittal about challenging the ruling and instead lauded the anti-trust portion by saying: "We consider this a huge win for Apple."

Epic for its part branded the judgement as essentially a loss for app developers who rely on the App Store in the multi-billion-dollar mobile gaming industry, and for consumers.

"We will fight on," Epic CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted, and a company spokesperson later confirmed they would appeal.

Friday's order says Apple is permanently barred from prohibiting developers from including in their apps "external links or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms."

"Apple enjoys considerable market share of over 55 percent and extraordinarily high profit margins... (but) Success is not illegal," California federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote.&nbsp;

"Epic Games failed in its burden to demonstrate Apple is an illegal monopolist," she added.

The decision noted that Apple violated California's laws against unfair competition, however.

The two firms clashed in a lawsuit over whether Apple has the right to set ground rules, control payment systems and kick out apps from its marketplace that fail to comply.

Also at stake was Apple's slice of revenue from iPhone apps of as much as 30 percent.

Apple booted Fortnite from its online mobile marketplace after Epic released an update that dodged revenue sharing with the iPhone maker.

A win for Apple?

However, even before Friday's decision Apple started to cede ground on its App Store dominance, including in an agreement with Japanese regulators.

It also faces the legislation adopted by South Korean lawmakers, which banned Apple and Google from forcing app developers to use the tech giants' payment systems.&nbsp;

Analyst Carolina Milanesi noted the anti-trust aspect of the case was what really had Apple's attention, with a ruling against it potentially opening the doors for challenges from lawmakers and prosecutors.

"For me, it is a win for Apple in that the judge clearly said they are not engaging in monopolistic behavior," she told AFP. "I don't think it is a problem for Apple from a revenue perspective."

Some US lawmakers also noted the anti-trust aspect of the case could not be ignored, noting courts have not tackled the issue.

"Congress must enact rules of the road to ensure free and fair competition online," said the joint statement from representatives Jerrold Nadler and David Cicilline.

"It is clear that courts continue to narrowly interpret the antitrust laws in favor of monopolies and against consumers, workers, and small businesses," the added.&nbsp;

Apple opened its App Store in July 2008, a year after the release of the first iPhone.

The shop, stocked with mobile apps tailored for devices powered by iOS mobile software, was quickly imitated by rival smartphone makers.

It ignited an entire economy where developers big or small could make money with "an app for that," from games or social networking to summoning car rides or ordering food.

The App Store -- the lone gateway onto the more than one billion iPhones in use around the world -- has grown to include more than 1.8 million apps.

A US judge on Friday ordered Apple to loosen control over its App Store payment system, a blow to the global tech giant sparked by its anti-trust battle with Fortnite maker Epic Games.

A US judge on Friday ordered Apple to loosen control over its App Store payment system, a blow to the global tech giant sparked by its anti-trust battle with Fortnite maker Epic Games. In a ruling with significant potential to alter the digital economy, Apple will no longer be allowed to force developers to use its tightly-controlled sales tool. It's a change loudly demanded by app producers because of the up to 30 percent commission on purchases, however the judge also ruled that Epic had not proved its claim of illegal monopoly -- which prompted a sigh of relief from Apple. Lawsuits, rules and probes have piled up for the iPhone maker, but it was noncommittal about challenging the ruling and instead lauded the anti-trust portion by saying: "We consider this a huge win for Apple." Epic for its part branded the judgement as essentially a loss for app developers who rely on the App Store in the multi-billion-dollar mobile gaming industry, and for consumers. "We will fight on," Epic CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted, and a company spokesperson later confirmed they would appeal. Friday's order says Apple is permanently barred from prohibiting developers from including in their apps "external links or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms." "Apple enjoys considerable market share of over 55 percent and extraordinarily high profit margins... (but) Success is not illegal," California federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote. "Epic Games failed in its burden to demonstrate Apple is an illegal monopolist," she added. The decision noted that Apple violated California's laws against unfair competition, however. The two firms clashed in a lawsuit over whether Apple has the right to set ground rules, control payment systems and kick out apps from its marketplace that fail to comply. Also at stake was Apple's slice of revenue from iPhone apps of as much as 30 percent. Apple booted Fortnite from its online mobile marketplace after Epic released an update that dodged revenue sharing with the iPhone maker. A win for Apple? However, even before Friday's decision Apple started to cede ground on its App Store dominance, including in an agreement with Japanese regulators. It also faces the legislation adopted by South Korean lawmakers, which banned Apple and Google from forcing app developers to use the tech giants' payment systems. Analyst Carolina Milanesi noted the anti-trust aspect of the case was what really had Apple's attention, with a ruling against it potentially opening the doors for challenges from lawmakers and prosecutors. "For me, it is a win for Apple in that the judge clearly said they are not engaging in monopolistic behavior," she told AFP. "I don't think it is a problem for Apple from a revenue perspective." Some US lawmakers also noted the anti-trust aspect of the case could not be ignored, noting courts have not tackled the issue. "Congress must enact rules of the road to ensure free and fair competition online," said the joint statement from representatives Jerrold Nadler and David Cicilline. "It is clear that courts continue to narrowly interpret the antitrust laws in favor of monopolies and against consumers, workers, and small businesses," the added. Apple opened its App Store in July 2008, a year after the release of the first iPhone. The shop, stocked with mobile apps tailored for devices powered by iOS mobile software, was quickly imitated by rival smartphone makers. It ignited an entire economy where developers big or small could make money with "an app for that," from games or social networking to summoning car rides or ordering food. The App Store -- the lone gateway onto the more than one billion iPhones in use around the world -- has grown to include more than 1.8 million apps.

Apple takes app payment hit in Epic court fight

The National Crime Agency (NCA) of Britain has warned that Facebook's plan to encrypt its messages can prevent detection of child abuse.

The social media giant's end-to-end encryption can hamper access to ''incisive technology'' according&nbsp;to NCA's director Rob Jones.

The warning comes as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company was working on plans to extend encryption.

It is bound to alarm privacy campaigners. UK's government is also trying to curb the tech titan's plans.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/facebook-misinformation-gets-six-times-more-engagement-than-factual-posts-study-411355" hreflang="en">Facebook misinformation gets six times more engagement than factual posts: Study</a>

Facebook had allowed its users to make voice and video calls within its main app on a trial basis, aiming to make it easier to place calls without opening its standalone Messenger app.

Under this strategy, Facebook extended the option of end-to-end encryption in which nobody else, not even the company itself can listen or see what is said or sent.

After facing criticism for introducing child safety updates, Apple had announced a delay in its introduction.

The company had promised last month to check US customer phones and computers for child sex abuse images.

But the move sparked a global backlash from a wide range of rights groups, with employees also criticising the plan internally.

As per the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the tech industry made over 21 million referrals internationally of child sexual abuse on its platforms in 2020.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) of Britain has warned that Facebook's plan to encrypt its messages can prevent detection of child abuse. The social media giant's end-to-end encryption can hamper access to ''incisive technology'' according to NCA's director Rob Jones.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) of Britain has warned that Facebook's plan to encrypt its messages can prevent detection of child abuse. The social media giant's end-to-end encryption can hamper access to ''incisive technology'' according to NCA's director Rob Jones. The warning comes as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company was working on plans to extend encryption. It is bound to alarm privacy campaigners. UK's government is also trying to curb the tech titan's plans. Also read | Facebook misinformation gets six times more engagement than factual posts: Study Facebook had allowed its users to make voice and video calls within its main app on a trial basis, aiming to make it easier to place calls without opening its standalone Messenger app. Under this strategy, Facebook extended the option of end-to-end encryption in which nobody else, not even the company itself can listen or see what is said or sent. After facing criticism for introducing child safety updates, Apple had announced a delay in its introduction. The company had promised last month to check US customer phones and computers for child sex abuse images. But the move sparked a global backlash from a wide range of rights groups, with employees also criticising the plan internally. As per the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the tech industry made over 21 million referrals internationally of child sexual abuse on its platforms in 2020.

UK: National Crime Agency warns Facebook's encryption can prevent detection of child abuse

Apple announced Friday that it will delay the rollout of its controversial new child pornography protection tools, accused by some of undermining the privacy of its devices and services.

The Silicon Valley giant last month said iPhones and iPads would soon start detecting images containing child sexual abuse and reporting them as they are uploaded to its online storage in the United States.

However, digital rights organizations quickly noted the tweaks to Apple's operating systems create a potential "backdoor" into gadgets that could be exploited by governments or other groups.

Apple, in announcing the delay, cited feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers, and others.

"We have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features," the company said in a statement.

New technology allows the software powering Apple mobile devices to match abusive photos on a user's phone against a database of known child sex abuse images provided by safety organizations, then flag the images as they are uploaded to Apple's online iCloud storage, according to the company.

The system, if and when it goes into use, would be "powered by a cryptographic technology" to determine "if there is a match without revealing the result," unless the image was found to contain depictions of child sexual abuse.

Apple announced Friday that it will delay the rollout of its controversial new child pornography protection tools, accused by some of undermining the privacy of its devices and services.

Apple announced Friday that it will delay the rollout of its controversial new child pornography protection tools, accused by some of undermining the privacy of its devices and services. The Silicon Valley giant last month said iPhones and iPads would soon start detecting images containing child sexual abuse and reporting them as they are uploaded to its online storage in the United States. However, digital rights organizations quickly noted the tweaks to Apple's operating systems create a potential "backdoor" into gadgets that could be exploited by governments or other groups. Apple, in announcing the delay, cited feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers, and others. "We have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features," the company said in a statement. New technology allows the software powering Apple mobile devices to match abusive photos on a user's phone against a database of known child sex abuse images provided by safety organizations, then flag the images as they are uploaded to Apple's online iCloud storage, according to the company. The system, if and when it goes into use, would be "powered by a cryptographic technology" to determine "if there is a match without revealing the result," unless the image was found to contain depictions of child sexual abuse.

Apple announces delay of child protection measures

Russia said Thursday the refusal by Google and Apple to remove jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's app ahead of elections could be seen as interference in the country's domestic affairs.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled for later this month, with nearly all vocal Kremlin critics including Navalny's allies barred from running.

Last month Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor demanded that Google and Apple remove Navalny's app from their stores.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Roskomnadzor ramped up pressure on the Western tech giants &nbsp;saying they could be held criminally liable if they continue to refuse to comply with Russian law.

"Criminal liability is foreseen for organising as well as taking part in the work of extremist organisations banned in Russia," the media watchdog said in a statement.

Failure to block the app "can be considered interference" in Russian elections and will lead to hefty fines, the statement warned.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said US tech giants ignoring requests by Russian authorities to delete "illegal content" had become "systemic".

"Such arrogant, selective behaviour and demonstrative disregard for multiple requests by authorised Russian structures regarding content recognised as extremist is becoming truly unacceptable," she told reporters.

Opposition leader Navalny has this year seen his organisations declared "extremist" and banned, while all his top aides have fled.

The media regulator has since barred dozens of websites linked to Navalny including his main website navalny.com.&nbsp;

In a message from prison, Navalny has urged supporters to download an app that aims to help Russians to vote out candidates from the ruling United Russia party in the upcoming polls.

The "Smart Voting" tactic has led the increasingly unpopular United Russia party to lose a number of seats in recent local elections.

"If something can be called 'interference in Russian elections', it is the attempts of Roskomnadzor to block the Smart Voting app," Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter. "Download them asap."

Russia said Thursday the refusal by Google and Apple to remove jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's app ahead of elections could be seen as interference in the country's domestic affairs.

Russia said Thursday the refusal by Google and Apple to remove jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's app ahead of elections could be seen as interference in the country's domestic affairs. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for later this month, with nearly all vocal Kremlin critics including Navalny's allies barred from running. Last month Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor demanded that Google and Apple remove Navalny's app from their stores. On Thursday, Roskomnadzor ramped up pressure on the Western tech giants saying they could be held criminally liable if they continue to refuse to comply with Russian law. "Criminal liability is foreseen for organising as well as taking part in the work of extremist organisations banned in Russia," the media watchdog said in a statement. Failure to block the app "can be considered interference" in Russian elections and will lead to hefty fines, the statement warned. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said US tech giants ignoring requests by Russian authorities to delete "illegal content" had become "systemic". "Such arrogant, selective behaviour and demonstrative disregard for multiple requests by authorised Russian structures regarding content recognised as extremist is becoming truly unacceptable," she told reporters. Opposition leader Navalny has this year seen his organisations declared "extremist" and banned, while all his top aides have fled. The media regulator has since barred dozens of websites linked to Navalny including his main website navalny.com. In a message from prison, Navalny has urged supporters to download an app that aims to help Russians to vote out candidates from the ruling United Russia party in the upcoming polls. The "Smart Voting" tactic has led the increasingly unpopular United Russia party to lose a number of seats in recent local elections. "If something can be called 'interference in Russian elections', it is the attempts of Roskomnadzor to block the Smart Voting app," Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter. "Download them asap."

Russia accuses Google, Apple of election interference

South&nbsp;Korean MPs on Tuesday passed a law banning Apple and Google from forcing app developers to use the tech giants' payment systems, effectively declaring their lucrative App Store and Play Store monopolies illegal.

The bill was approved by 180 votes to nil in the National Assembly, making&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;the first major economy to pass legislation on the issue, in a move that could set a precedent for other jurisdictions around the world.

In the United States, three senators this month introduced a bill to loosen the tech firms' grip on their stores, while in Europe lawmakers are debating legislation that could force Apple to bring in alternatives to the App Store.

The&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean measure comes as Apple and Google face global criticism for charging up to 30 percent commission on app sales and requiring their own payment systems be used that collect a share of the transactions.

The Korean law,&nbsp;locally dubbed the "Anti-Google&nbsp;Law,"&nbsp;will offer users a choice of app payment providers, allowing them to bypass charges set by the store owner.

"This law will certainly set a precedent for other countries, as well as app developers and content creators worldwide," Kang Ki-hwan at the&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;Mobile Internet Business Association told AFP.

It is expected to come into force in September, according to reports.

Later this year Google plans to enforce globally a requirement for developers to use its payment system,&nbsp;with its 30 percent commission above a certain threshold,&nbsp;for in-app purchases.

In&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea, it is also planning to charge commission on all content payments from October, ending an exemption where commissions were only payable for online games.

'Fair compensation'&nbsp;

That announcement prompted an angry response from&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean artists and creators, with web fiction writers and webtoon artists accusing Google of "power abuse" and campaigning fiercely for the new law.

"Without this law, our working environment,&nbsp;where creators are guaranteed of full rewards for their efforts,&nbsp;would've been destroyed," Seo Bum-gang, a webtoon artist who heads the&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;Webtoon Industry Association, told AFP.

"We need this law to protect the diversity of our industry, where artists and creators of all economic backgrounds can share their content without having to worry about the commission fees."

Apple&nbsp;and&nbsp;Google&nbsp;have maintained that commissions charged are standard in the industry and fair compensation for building safe marketplaces where developers can reach people around the world.

Ahead of the debate, Apple told AFP that it would put digital purchasers at risk of fraud, undermine their privacy protection and render parental controls less effective.

"We believe user trust in App Store purchases will decrease as a result of this proposal --leading to fewer opportunities for the over 482,000 registered developers in&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;who have earned more than 8.55 trillion won to date with Apple," it said in a statement.

Google&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;did not respond to requests for comment from AFP.

The two tech giants dominate the online app market in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea, the world's 12th largest economy known for its technological prowess.&nbsp;

Google's Play Store made revenue of almost 6 trillion won ($5.2 billion) in 2019, accounting for 63 percent of the country's total, according to data from Seoul's science ministry.

Apple's App Store&nbsp;had a 24.4 percent share of total app store sales in the country in the same year.

South Korean MPs on Tuesday passed a law banning Apple and Google from forcing app developers to use the tech giants' payment systems, effectively declaring their lucrative App Store and Play Store monopolies illegal.

South Korean MPs on Tuesday passed a law banning Apple and Google from forcing app developers to use the tech giants' payment systems, effectively declaring their lucrative App Store and Play Store monopolies illegal. The bill was approved by 180 votes to nil in the National Assembly, making South Korea the first major economy to pass legislation on the issue, in a move that could set a precedent for other jurisdictions around the world. In the United States, three senators this month introduced a bill to loosen the tech firms' grip on their stores, while in Europe lawmakers are debating legislation that could force Apple to bring in alternatives to the App Store. The South Korean measure comes as Apple and Google face global criticism for charging up to 30 percent commission on app sales and requiring their own payment systems be used that collect a share of the transactions. The Korean law, locally dubbed the "Anti-Google Law," will offer users a choice of app payment providers, allowing them to bypass charges set by the store owner. "This law will certainly set a precedent for other countries, as well as app developers and content creators worldwide," Kang Ki-hwan at the Korea Mobile Internet Business Association told AFP. It is expected to come into force in September, according to reports. Later this year Google plans to enforce globally a requirement for developers to use its payment system, with its 30 percent commission above a certain threshold, for in-app purchases. In South Korea, it is also planning to charge commission on all content payments from October, ending an exemption where commissions were only payable for online games. 'Fair compensation' That announcement prompted an angry response from South Korean artists and creators, with web fiction writers and webtoon artists accusing Google of "power abuse" and campaigning fiercely for the new law. "Without this law, our working environment, where creators are guaranteed of full rewards for their efforts, would've been destroyed," Seo Bum-gang, a webtoon artist who heads the Korea Webtoon Industry Association, told AFP. "We need this law to protect the diversity of our industry, where artists and creators of all economic backgrounds can share their content without having to worry about the commission fees." Apple and Google have maintained that commissions charged are standard in the industry and fair compensation for building safe marketplaces where developers can reach people around the world. Ahead of the debate, Apple told AFP that it would put digital purchasers at risk of fraud, undermine their privacy protection and render parental controls less effective. "We believe user trust in App Store purchases will decrease as a result of this proposal --leading to fewer opportunities for the over 482,000 registered developers in Korea who have earned more than 8.55 trillion won to date with Apple," it said in a statement. Google Korea did not respond to requests for comment from AFP. The two tech giants dominate the online app market in South Korea, the world's 12th largest economy known for its technological prowess. Google's Play Store made revenue of almost 6 trillion won ($5.2 billion) in 2019, accounting for 63 percent of the country's total, according to data from Seoul's science ministry. Apple's App Store had a 24.4 percent share of total app store sales in the country in the same year.

South Korea bans Apple and Google payment monopolies in world first

South Korea has become the first country in the world to ban big tech firms' payment policies, forcing developers to only use their proprietary billing systems. The country has passed the 'Anti-Google law' bill.

World Business Watch: South Korea bans app payment monopolies by Apple, Google in world first

To boost horticulture production in the Kashmir valley, the government is bringing in new scientific techniques and methods to help farmers produce world-class fruits.

Horticulture is one of the main industries in the Union Territory and contributes around 8 per cent to the state’s GDP. Amongst them, Kashmiri apple production takes the biggest chunk of the sector.

Hence, in order to further boost the production and expand the market for Kashmiri apples across the globe, the government has been convincing farmers to set up high-density apple orchards.

Under the high-density farming technique, farmers use their land more efficiently, increasing yields without increasing the space devoted to planting. More importantly, high-density farming shows that farmers can make a living from farming without much, contrary to the common belief that successful farming is land-intensive.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmirs-famous-saffron-farming-gets-a-boost-with-new-initiatives-by-the-government-of-india-406303">Kashmir’s famous saffron farming gets a boost with new initiatives by the Government of India</a>

“Our economy is based on horticulture and our Kashmiri apples are renowned all over the world. So to compete with the other countries in apple cultivation, the government has come up with the idea of setting up high-density orchards. It accommodates more plants and helps produce high-quality grade A apples,” said Javaid Ahmad Bhat, Chief Horticulture Officer, Budgam.

In Kashmir, Budgam district has been the centre of this transformation. Here, hundreds of acres of land, which was earlier used by brick kiln owners, have been now converted into apple orchards, bringing economic benefits to the them without taking a toll on the environment.

“In Budgam, several acres of land was earlier used for the production of bricks. We approached the owners and convinced them to grow apples. We helped them by providing a subsidy of up to 50 per cent. The harvest was much more valuable than what they were getting earlier. We have now successfully converted thousands of acres of lands that earlier spaced brick kiln to orchards. '' Bhat said. &nbsp;
<img alt="Apple cultivation in Budgam" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="774a5482-c52e-48c1-b95b-9cbfc5d3e51a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/apple%202.jpg" />
Ghulam Ahmad Pal, a farmer and former brick kiln owner in Budgam, said ever since he shifted to apple cultivation under the new method, his earnings have doubled

“The credit goes to the horticulture department. The officials helped us a lot. Earlier, we used to get only Rs 5,000&nbsp;rent on a kanal (0.12 acre) of land for brick production. We had no apple orchards in the area. Then the officials approached us and apprised us about this new apple cultivation technique. Now, we are getting more than Rs 50,000 for growing apples on a kanal of land. They gave us the plant, provided the necessary infrastructure and gave a 50 per cent subsidy. They also helped us with pruning and cutting. I am happy that after retirement, I have taken to farming,” he said.

Pal’s success story has also inspired several other brick kiln owners who are now taking up apple cultivation.

To boost horticulture production in the Kashmir valley, the government is bringing in new scientific techniques and methods to help farmers produce world-class fruits.

To boost horticulture production in the Kashmir valley, the government is bringing in new scientific techniques and methods to help farmers produce world-class fruits. Horticulture is one of the main industries in the Union Territory and contributes around 8 per cent to the state’s GDP. Amongst them, Kashmiri apple production takes the biggest chunk of the sector. Hence, in order to further boost the production and expand the market for Kashmiri apples across the globe, the government has been convincing farmers to set up high-density apple orchards. Under the high-density farming technique, farmers use their land more efficiently, increasing yields without increasing the space devoted to planting. More importantly, high-density farming shows that farmers can make a living from farming without much, contrary to the common belief that successful farming is land-intensive. Also read | Kashmir’s famous saffron farming gets a boost with new initiatives by the Government of India “Our economy is based on horticulture and our Kashmiri apples are renowned all over the world. So to compete with the other countries in apple cultivation, the government has come up with the idea of setting up high-density orchards. It accommodates more plants and helps produce high-quality grade A apples,” said Javaid Ahmad Bhat, Chief Horticulture Officer, Budgam. In Kashmir, Budgam district has been the centre of this transformation. Here, hundreds of acres of land, which was earlier used by brick kiln owners, have been now converted into apple orchards, bringing economic benefits to the them without taking a toll on the environment. “In Budgam, several acres of land was earlier used for the production of bricks. We approached the owners and convinced them to grow apples. We helped them by providing a subsidy of up to 50 per cent. The harvest was much more valuable than what they were getting earlier. We have now successfully converted thousands of acres of lands that earlier spaced brick kiln to orchards. '' Bhat said. Ghulam Ahmad Pal, a farmer and former brick kiln owner in Budgam, said ever since he shifted to apple cultivation under the new method, his earnings have doubled “The credit goes to the horticulture department. The officials helped us a lot. Earlier, we used to get only Rs 5,000 rent on a kanal (0.12 acre) of land for brick production. We had no apple orchards in the area. Then the officials approached us and apprised us about this new apple cultivation technique. Now, we are getting more than Rs 50,000 for growing apples on a kanal of land. They gave us the plant, provided the necessary infrastructure and gave a 50 per cent subsidy. They also helped us with pruning and cutting. I am happy that after retirement, I have taken to farming,” he said. Pal’s success story has also inspired several other brick kiln owners who are now taking up apple cultivation.

In Kashmir’s Budgam, brick kiln owners taking up apple cultivation thanks to govt’s new initiative

In a significant change to App Store policies, Apple will allow app developers to email their users about alternative purchase options.

App developers want to contact their customers directly in order to persuade them to pay directly and avoid Apple's App Store fees, which range from 15% to 30% of gross sales.

Apple changed its policy as a result of a class action lawsuit settled with developers who claimed that Apple monopolised distribution of iOS apps and in-app purchases.&nbsp;

The concession, which covers emailed notifications but not in-app notifications, was announced late Thursday as part of a preliminary settlement of a nearly 2-year-old lawsuit filed on behalf of iPhone app developers in the United States.

It also addresses an issue raised by a federal court judge who is expected to rule soon in a separate case filed by Epic Games, the creators of the popular video game Fortnite.

Apple announced the news in a "background" briefing with reporters, during which it insisted on anonymity for participating executives and refused to allow direct quotes.&nbsp;

Separately, Apple announced on Thursday that App Store fees for publishers who provide content to Apple News would be reduced.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a significant change to App Store policies, Apple will allow app developers to email their users about alternative purchase options. App developers want to contact their customers directly in order to persuade them to pay directly and avoid Apple's App Store fees, which range from 15% to 30% of gross sales.

In a significant change to App Store policies, Apple will allow app developers to email their users about alternative purchase options. App developers want to contact their customers directly in order to persuade them to pay directly and avoid Apple's App Store fees, which range from 15% to 30% of gross sales. Apple changed its policy as a result of a class action lawsuit settled with developers who claimed that Apple monopolised distribution of iOS apps and in-app purchases. The concession, which covers emailed notifications but not in-app notifications, was announced late Thursday as part of a preliminary settlement of a nearly 2-year-old lawsuit filed on behalf of iPhone app developers in the United States. It also addresses an issue raised by a federal court judge who is expected to rule soon in a separate case filed by Epic Games, the creators of the popular video game Fortnite. Apple announced the news in a "background" briefing with reporters, during which it insisted on anonymity for participating executives and refused to allow direct quotes. Separately, Apple announced on Thursday that App Store fees for publishers who provide content to Apple News would be reduced. (With inputs from agencies)

Apple to allow developers to email customers about payment options

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has received a bonus of some $750 million, reflecting his performance at the US technology giant in his 10 years at the helm, a regulatory filing showed.

The Thursday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed Cook's bonus was granted in some five million Apple shares, which were subsequently cashed out.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsoft-warns-thousands-of-cloud-customers-of-exposed-databases-408805" hreflang="en">Microsoft warns thousands of cloud customers of exposed databases</a>

The bonus reflects a stock option plan implemented in 2011 when Cook took over as CEO from Steve Jobs shortly before the Apple co-founder's death.

Since then, Apple's market value has skyrocketed and the California giant's worth is estimated at more than $2.4 trillion.

The stock award included 1.1 million shares granted based on Apple's performance and 3.9 million time-based share awards, all of which were vested this month.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/what-are-recommendation-algorithms-that-china-is-cracking-down-on-and-how-do-they-affect-internet-users-408781" hreflang="en">What are recommendation algorithms that China is cracking down on, and how do they affect internet users?</a>

Cook still owns some 3.2 million Apple shares worth $483 million at today's value.

His net worth is estimated by Forbes magazine at some $1.4 billion, well below that of other Silicon Valley tech leaders.

The Alabama native held a variety of jobs at Apple before taking over from Jobs as CEO.

Under his leadership, the iPhone maker expanded into new areas of digital content and subscriptions to diversify its revenue stream.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has received a bonus of some $750 million, reflecting his performance at the US technology giant in his 10 years at the helm, a regulatory filing showed.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has received a bonus of some $750 million, reflecting his performance at the US technology giant in his 10 years at the helm, a regulatory filing showed. The Thursday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed Cook's bonus was granted in some five million Apple shares, which were subsequently cashed out. Also read | Microsoft warns thousands of cloud customers of exposed databases The bonus reflects a stock option plan implemented in 2011 when Cook took over as CEO from Steve Jobs shortly before the Apple co-founder's death. Since then, Apple's market value has skyrocketed and the California giant's worth is estimated at more than $2.4 trillion. The stock award included 1.1 million shares granted based on Apple's performance and 3.9 million time-based share awards, all of which were vested this month. Also read | What are recommendation algorithms that China is cracking down on, and how do they affect internet users? Cook still owns some 3.2 million Apple shares worth $483 million at today's value. His net worth is estimated by Forbes magazine at some $1.4 billion, well below that of other Silicon Valley tech leaders. The Alabama native held a variety of jobs at Apple before taking over from Jobs as CEO. Under his leadership, the iPhone maker expanded into new areas of digital content and subscriptions to diversify its revenue stream.

Apple's Tim Cook gets $750mn bonus payout

South Korea may ban Google and Apple from requiring software developers to use their payment systems. It will be the first such curbs on the tech companies by a major economy.

World Business Watch: South Korea set to curb Google, Apple commission dominance

Contrary to popular beliefs, an (extra) apple a day can make one gain 10lbs. Also, 'calorie creep'--a term used for overeating, even by 50 to 100 calories regularly, that eventually leads to weight gain.

 
Many of us have believed for a long time that the general calorie-intake limit we should stick to is 2,000 a day for women, and 2,500 for men. And, despite all the tracking we do, it’s easy and quite possible to exceed the aforementioned limit without even realizing.

 
This phenomenon is called 'calorie creep'. It occurs when one consumes more calories than they burn each day.

 
"Calorie creep describes the slow, steady effect of the extra items we consume each day, many of which you might not realize are contributing, bit by bit, to an excess of calories," explains Sophie Medlin, reportedly, a dietitian at City Dietitians in London and chair of the British Dietetic Association's London branch.

 
"It could be a coffee shop latte, the extra biscuit you have with your tea — even an extra apple. It’s a common reason why people gain weight year after year," she goes on to add.&nbsp;

 
Yes, these foods are not the same and the apple provides one with more health benefits than a biscuit. But, as long as you are exceeding the daily calorie limit, it can lead to calorie creep anyway.

 
&nbsp;Theoretically, every extra 3,500 calories you eat is equivalent to a weight gain of 1lb.

 
There may also be other individual factors that increase the impact of calorie creep, reports claim.

 
For instance, a 2017 study in the International Journal of Obesity showed that the type of bacteria in our stomach might make a difference to how many calories we absorb from foods, and have an overall impact on weight gain.

 
Additionally, an increase in weight over time might not be as linear as numbers suggest, as the more you weigh, the more calories you burn (because your body needs more energy to function).&nbsp;

 
A 'cookie habit' that caused you to gain 2lb over a year at 10st might not result in the same weight gain once you reach 11st.

 
The trick to understand as to why the scales are going up despite no obvious overeating, looking into the various sources of calorie creep is a good place to start.

 
One apple can have an excess calorie of 95, which could result in a weight gain of 9.9lb. "This proves that any food, if eaten in excess, can contribute to weight gain. But I wouldn’t suggest that you have to cut this out of your daily intake to address calorie creep, as apples provide gut-friendly fibre and nutrients that support immunity, such as vitamin C. &nbsp;However, some people find that eating fruit alone between meals can make them hungrier — adding a little protein, such as a square of feta cheese, can help," further explains Sophie Medlin.&nbsp;

Contrary to popular beliefs, an (extra) apple a day can make one gain 10lbs. Also, 'calorie creep'--a term used for overeating, even by 50 to 100 calories regularly, that eventually leads to weight gain.

Contrary to popular beliefs, an (extra) apple a day can make one gain 10lbs. Also, 'calorie creep'--a term used for overeating, even by 50 to 100 calories regularly, that eventually leads to weight gain. Many of us have believed for a long time that the general calorie-intake limit we should stick to is 2,000 a day for women, and 2,500 for men. And, despite all the tracking we do, it’s easy and quite possible to exceed the aforementioned limit without even realizing. This phenomenon is called 'calorie creep'. It occurs when one consumes more calories than they burn each day. "Calorie creep describes the slow, steady effect of the extra items we consume each day, many of which you might not realize are contributing, bit by bit, to an excess of calories," explains Sophie Medlin, reportedly, a dietitian at City Dietitians in London and chair of the British Dietetic Association's London branch. "It could be a coffee shop latte, the extra biscuit you have with your tea — even an extra apple. It’s a common reason why people gain weight year after year," she goes on to add. Yes, these foods are not the same and the apple provides one with more health benefits than a biscuit. But, as long as you are exceeding the daily calorie limit, it can lead to calorie creep anyway. Theoretically, every extra 3,500 calories you eat is equivalent to a weight gain of 1lb. There may also be other individual factors that increase the impact of calorie creep, reports claim. For instance, a 2017 study in the International Journal of Obesity showed that the type of bacteria in our stomach might make a difference to how many calories we absorb from foods, and have an overall impact on weight gain. Additionally, an increase in weight over time might not be as linear as numbers suggest, as the more you weigh, the more calories you burn (because your body needs more energy to function). A 'cookie habit' that caused you to gain 2lb over a year at 10st might not result in the same weight gain once you reach 11st. The trick to understand as to why the scales are going up despite no obvious overeating, looking into the various sources of calorie creep is a good place to start. One apple can have an excess calorie of 95, which could result in a weight gain of 9.9lb. "This proves that any food, if eaten in excess, can contribute to weight gain. But I wouldn’t suggest that you have to cut this out of your daily intake to address calorie creep, as apples provide gut-friendly fibre and nutrients that support immunity, such as vitamin C. However, some people find that eating fruit alone between meals can make them hungrier — adding a little protein, such as a square of feta cheese, can help," further explains Sophie Medlin.

An extra apple a day is not really your bae, say dieticians

Apple's announcement that it would scan encrypted messages for evidence of child sexual abuse has revived debate on online encryption and privacy, raising fears the same technology could be used for government surveillance.

The iPhone maker said its initiative&nbsp;would "help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them, and limit the spread of child sexual abuse material."

The move represents a major shift for Apple, which has until recently resisted efforts to weaken its encryption that prevents third parties from seeing private messages.

Apple argued in a technical paper that the technology developed by cryptographic experts "is secure, and is expressly designed to preserve user privacy."

The company said it will have limited access to the violating images which would be flagged to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization.

Nonetheless, encryption and private specialists warned the tool could be exploited for other purposes, potentially opening a door to mass surveillance.

"This sort of tool can be a boon for finding child pornography in people's phones. But imagine what it could do in the hands of an authoritarian government?" said a tweet from Matthew Green, a cryptographer at Johns Hopkins University.

Others warned that the move could be a first step toward weakening encryption and opening "back doors" which could be exploited by hackers or governments.

"There's going to be enormous pressure on Apple from governments around the world to expand this capability to detect other kinds of 'bad' content, and significant interest by attackers across the spectrum in finding ways to exploit it," tweeted Matt Blaze, a Georgetown University computer scientist and cryptography researcher.

Blaze said the implementation is "potentially very risky" because Apple has moved from scanning data on services to the phone itself and "has potential access to all your local data."

Tools to protect children 

The new image-monitoring feature is part of a series of tools heading to Apple mobile devices, according to the company.

Apple's texting app, Messages, will use machine learning to recognise and warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos, the company said in the statement.

"When receiving this type of content, the photo will be blurred and the child will be warned," Apple said.

"Apple's expanded protection for children is a game changer," said John Clark, president of the nonprofit NCMEC.

The move comes following years of standoffs involving technology firms and law enforcement.

Apple notably resisted a legal effort to weaken iPhone encryption to allow authorities to read messages from a suspect in a 2015 bombing in San Bernardino, California.

FBI officials have warned that so-called "end to end encryption," where only the user and recipient can read messages, can protect criminals, terrorists and pornographers even when authorities have a legal warrant for an investigation.

Different tack for&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;

Facebook, which has faced criticism that its encrypted messaging app facilitates crime, has been studying the use of artificial intelligence to analyse the content of messages without decrypting them, according to a recent report by The Information.

But&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;head Will Cathcart said the popular messaging app would not follow Apple's approach.

"I think this is the wrong approach and a setback for people's privacy all over the world," Cathcart tweeted.

Apple's system "can scan all the private photos on your phone -- even photos you haven't shared with anyone. That's not privacy," he said.

"People have asked if we'll adopt this system for&nbsp;WhatsApp. The answer is no."

Backers of encryption argue that authorities already have multiple sources of "digital breadcrumbs" to track nefarious activity and that any tools to break encryption could be exploited by bad actors.

James Lewis, who heads technology and public policy at the Center for Strategic and International&nbsp;Studies, said Apple's latest move appears to be a positive step, noting that the company is identifying offending material while avoiding directly turning over data to law enforcement.

But he said it's unlikely to satisfy the concerns of security agencies investigating extremism and other crimes.

"Apple has done a good job of balancing public safety and privacy but it's not enough for some of the harder security problems," Lewis said.

Apple's announcement that it would scan encrypted messages for evidence of child sexual abuse has revived debate on online encryption and privacy, raising fears the same technology could be used for government surveillance.

Apple's announcement that it would scan encrypted messages for evidence of child sexual abuse has revived debate on online encryption and privacy, raising fears the same technology could be used for government surveillance. The iPhone maker said its initiative would "help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them, and limit the spread of child sexual abuse material." The move represents a major shift for Apple, which has until recently resisted efforts to weaken its encryption that prevents third parties from seeing private messages. Apple argued in a technical paper that the technology developed by cryptographic experts "is secure, and is expressly designed to preserve user privacy." The company said it will have limited access to the violating images which would be flagged to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization. Nonetheless, encryption and private specialists warned the tool could be exploited for other purposes, potentially opening a door to mass surveillance. "This sort of tool can be a boon for finding child pornography in people's phones. But imagine what it could do in the hands of an authoritarian government?" said a tweet from Matthew Green, a cryptographer at Johns Hopkins University. Others warned that the move could be a first step toward weakening encryption and opening "back doors" which could be exploited by hackers or governments. "There's going to be enormous pressure on Apple from governments around the world to expand this capability to detect other kinds of 'bad' content, and significant interest by attackers across the spectrum in finding ways to exploit it," tweeted Matt Blaze, a Georgetown University computer scientist and cryptography researcher. Blaze said the implementation is "potentially very risky" because Apple has moved from scanning data on services to the phone itself and "has potential access to all your local data." Tools to protect children The new image-monitoring feature is part of a series of tools heading to Apple mobile devices, according to the company. Apple's texting app, Messages, will use machine learning to recognise and warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos, the company said in the statement. "When receiving this type of content, the photo will be blurred and the child will be warned," Apple said. "Apple's expanded protection for children is a game changer," said John Clark, president of the nonprofit NCMEC. The move comes following years of standoffs involving technology firms and law enforcement. Apple notably resisted a legal effort to weaken iPhone encryption to allow authorities to read messages from a suspect in a 2015 bombing in San Bernardino, California. FBI officials have warned that so-called "end to end encryption," where only the user and recipient can read messages, can protect criminals, terrorists and pornographers even when authorities have a legal warrant for an investigation. Different tack for WhatsApp Facebook, which has faced criticism that its encrypted messaging app facilitates crime, has been studying the use of artificial intelligence to analyse the content of messages without decrypting them, according to a recent report by The Information. But WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said the popular messaging app would not follow Apple's approach. "I think this is the wrong approach and a setback for people's privacy all over the world," Cathcart tweeted. Apple's system "can scan all the private photos on your phone -- even photos you haven't shared with anyone. That's not privacy," he said. "People have asked if we'll adopt this system for WhatsApp. The answer is no." Backers of encryption argue that authorities already have multiple sources of "digital breadcrumbs" to track nefarious activity and that any tools to break encryption could be exploited by bad actors. James Lewis, who heads technology and public policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Apple's latest move appears to be a positive step, noting that the company is identifying offending material while avoiding directly turning over data to law enforcement. But he said it's unlikely to satisfy the concerns of security agencies investigating extremism and other crimes. "Apple has done a good job of balancing public safety and privacy but it's not enough for some of the harder security problems," Lewis said.

Apple revives encryption debate with move on child exploitation, WhatsApp disagrees

Apple&nbsp;Inc on Thursday said it will implement a system that checks photos on iPhones in the United States before they are uploaded to its iCloud storage services to ensure the upload does not match known images of child sexual abuse.

Detection of child abuse image uploads sufficient to guard against false positives will trigger a human review of and report of the user to law enforcement,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said. It said the system is designed to reduce false positives to one in one trillion.

Apple's new system seeks to address requests from law enforcement to help stem child sexual abuse while also respecting privacy and security practices that are a core tenet of the company's brand. But some privacy advocates said the system could open the door to monitoring of political speech or other content on iPhones.

Most other major technology providers - including Alphabet Inc's Google, Facebook Inc and Microsoft Corp - are already checking images against a database of known child sexual abuse imagery.

"With so many people using&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;products, these new safety measures have lifesaving potential for children who are being enticed online and whose horrific images are being circulated in child sexual abuse material," John Clark, chief executive of the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children, said in a statement. "The reality is that privacy and child protection can co-exist."

Here is how&nbsp;Apple's system works. Law enforcement officials maintain a database of known child sexual abuse images and translate those images into "hashes" - numerical codes that positively identify the image but cannot be used to reconstruct them.

Apple&nbsp;has implemented that database using a technology called "NeuralHash", designed to also catch edited images similar to the originals. That database will be stored on iPhones.

When a user uploads an image to&nbsp;Apple's iCloud storage service, the iPhone will create a hash of the image to be uploaded and compare it against the database.

Photos stored only on the phone are not checked,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said, and human review before reporting an account to law enforcement is meant to ensure any matches are genuine before suspending an account.

Apple&nbsp;said users who feel their account was improperly suspended can appeal to have it reinstated.

The Financial Times earlier reported some aspects of the program.

One feature that sets&nbsp;Apple's system apart is that it checks photos stored on phones before they are uploaded, rather than checking the photos after they arrive on the company's servers.

On Twitter, some privacy and security experts expressed concerns the system could eventually be expanded to scan phones more generally for prohibited content or political speech.

Apple&nbsp;has "sent a very clear signal. In their (very influential) opinion, it is safe to build systems that scan users’ phones for prohibited content," Matthew Green, a security researcher at Johns Hopkins University, warned.

"This will break the dam — governments will demand it from everyone."

Other privacy researchers such as India McKinney and Erica Portnoy of the Electronic Frontier Foundation wrote in a blog post that it may be impossible for outside researchers to double check whether&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;keeps its promises to check only a small set of on-device content.

The move is "a shocking about-face for users who have relied on the company’s leadership in privacy and security," the pair wrote.

"At the end of the day, even a thoroughly documented, carefully thought-out, and narrowly-scoped backdoor is still a backdoor," McKinney and Portnoy wrote.

Apple Inc on Thursday said it will implement a system that checks photos on iPhones in the United States before they are uploaded to its iCloud storage services to ensure the upload does not match known images of child sexual abuse.

Apple Inc on Thursday said it will implement a system that checks photos on iPhones in the United States before they are uploaded to its iCloud storage services to ensure the upload does not match known images of child sexual abuse. Detection of child abuse image uploads sufficient to guard against false positives will trigger a human review of and report of the user to law enforcement, Apple said. It said the system is designed to reduce false positives to one in one trillion. Apple's new system seeks to address requests from law enforcement to help stem child sexual abuse while also respecting privacy and security practices that are a core tenet of the company's brand. But some privacy advocates said the system could open the door to monitoring of political speech or other content on iPhones. Most other major technology providers - including Alphabet Inc's Google, Facebook Inc and Microsoft Corp - are already checking images against a database of known child sexual abuse imagery. "With so many people using Apple products, these new safety measures have lifesaving potential for children who are being enticed online and whose horrific images are being circulated in child sexual abuse material," John Clark, chief executive of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, said in a statement. "The reality is that privacy and child protection can co-exist." Here is how Apple's system works. Law enforcement officials maintain a database of known child sexual abuse images and translate those images into "hashes" - numerical codes that positively identify the image but cannot be used to reconstruct them. Apple has implemented that database using a technology called "NeuralHash", designed to also catch edited images similar to the originals. That database will be stored on iPhones. When a user uploads an image to Apple's iCloud storage service, the iPhone will create a hash of the image to be uploaded and compare it against the database. Photos stored only on the phone are not checked, Apple said, and human review before reporting an account to law enforcement is meant to ensure any matches are genuine before suspending an account. Apple said users who feel their account was improperly suspended can appeal to have it reinstated. The Financial Times earlier reported some aspects of the program. One feature that sets Apple's system apart is that it checks photos stored on phones before they are uploaded, rather than checking the photos after they arrive on the company's servers. On Twitter, some privacy and security experts expressed concerns the system could eventually be expanded to scan phones more generally for prohibited content or political speech. Apple has "sent a very clear signal. In their (very influential) opinion, it is safe to build systems that scan users’ phones for prohibited content," Matthew Green, a security researcher at Johns Hopkins University, warned. "This will break the dam — governments will demand it from everyone." Other privacy researchers such as India McKinney and Erica Portnoy of the Electronic Frontier Foundation wrote in a blog post that it may be impossible for outside researchers to double check whether Apple keeps its promises to check only a small set of on-device content. The move is "a shocking about-face for users who have relied on the company’s leadership in privacy and security," the pair wrote. "At the end of the day, even a thoroughly documented, carefully thought-out, and narrowly-scoped backdoor is still a backdoor," McKinney and Portnoy wrote.

Apple to check iCloud photo uploads for child abuse images

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit us thousands of businesses were thrown into chaos. The disruption was massive. But big tech has grown bigger. Apple revealed that it earned 21.7 billion dollars in last 3 months. Other big techs are having an amazing time as well.

Big tech grows bigger during pandemic times, Apple earns 21.7 billion dollars in 3 months

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk on Friday showed his support for 'Fortnite' maker Epic Games that has challenged Apple Inc's fees on its App Store. 
 
"Apple app store fees are a de facto global tax on the Internet. Epic is right," he said in a tweet.&nbsp; 
 
Apple is battling a lawsuit filed last year by Epic Games, alleging that the iPhone maker has abused its dominance in the market for mobile apps. Epic broke Apple's rules when it introduced its own in-app payment system in 'Fortnite' to circumvent Apple's commissions. 
 
Apple, which has defended its App Store practices both in court and to lawmakers in hearings, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. 
 
Musk late on Friday said that though he likes using Apple products, the iPhone maker is 'overcharging with App Store'. 
 
"I mean 30% fees for doing almost zero incremental work is completely unreasonable. Epic wouldn’t bother processing their own payments if App Store fees were fair," he tweeted. 
 
Separately, Musk denied a report that he once had a chat with Apple boss Tim Cook related to a possible acquisition of the electric carmaker and taking over as the iPhone maker's CEO.&nbsp;

"There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever. He refused to meet," Musk said in another tweet.&nbsp; 
 
On Tesla's call with Wall Street analysts earlier this week, Musk took shots at Apple, criticising the company's "walled garden" or its tightly controlled tech ecosystem and its usage of cobalt, a key mineral for making lithium-ion batteries. 
 
"I don’t want to be CEO of anything," Musk tweeted in response to a comment.

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk on Friday showed his support for 'Fortnite' maker Epic Games that has challenged Apple Inc's fees on its App Store. "Apple app store fees are a de facto global tax on the Internet.

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk on Friday showed his support for 'Fortnite' maker Epic Games that has challenged Apple Inc's fees on its App Store. "Apple app store fees are a de facto global tax on the Internet. Epic is right," he said in a tweet. Apple is battling a lawsuit filed last year by Epic Games, alleging that the iPhone maker has abused its dominance in the market for mobile apps. Epic broke Apple's rules when it introduced its own in-app payment system in 'Fortnite' to circumvent Apple's commissions. Apple, which has defended its App Store practices both in court and to lawmakers in hearings, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Musk late on Friday said that though he likes using Apple products, the iPhone maker is 'overcharging with App Store'. "I mean 30% fees for doing almost zero incremental work is completely unreasonable. Epic wouldn’t bother processing their own payments if App Store fees were fair," he tweeted. Separately, Musk denied a report that he once had a chat with Apple boss Tim Cook related to a possible acquisition of the electric carmaker and taking over as the iPhone maker's CEO. "There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever. He refused to meet," Musk said in another tweet. On Tesla's call with Wall Street analysts earlier this week, Musk took shots at Apple, criticising the company's "walled garden" or its tightly controlled tech ecosystem and its usage of cobalt, a key mineral for making lithium-ion batteries. "I don’t want to be CEO of anything," Musk tweeted in response to a comment.

Musk says "Epic is right," takes sides in battle with Apple

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> has refuted a story based on an upcoming book about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tesla">Tesla</a> that he tried to replace Tim Cook as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/apple">Apple</a> CEO. 
 
The book, titled 'Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century' by The Wall Street Journal reporter Tim Higgins, claims that Musk reportedly wanted to become the Apple CEO in a 2016 phone call with Cook, who suggested to Musk that the iPhone maker acquire the electric car-maker. 
 
Musk reportedly said that he wished to become Apple CEO, reports The Los Angeles Times, quoting from the book.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/musk-says-epic-is-right-takes-sides-in-battle-with-apple-401887">Musk says "Epic is right," takes sides in battle with Apple</a> 
 
In a tweet on Friday, Musk denied that any such conversation ever took place. 
 
"Cook &amp; I have never spoken or written to each other ever. There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever," Musk posted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Cook &amp; I have never spoken or written to each other ever. 
 
There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever. 
 
He refused to meet. Tesla was worth about 6% of today’s value.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1421150913075503112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"He refused to meet. Tesla was worth about 6 per cent&nbsp;of today's value," the Tesla CEO added. 
 
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Cook had said: "I've never spoken to Elon, although I have great admiration and respect for the company he's built". 
 
Cook replied after Musk in December last year tweeted that he offered Cook to sell his electric car company at one-tenth of its value during the struggling period in 2017 but the Apple CEO refused to meet him. 
 
Musk had said that during the "darkest days" for Tesla Model 3, he wanted to sell the company off. 
 
"During the darkest days of the Model 3 programme, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting," Musk had said in a tweet.

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During the darkest days of the Model 3 program, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1341485211209637889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Elon Musk has refuted a story based on an upcoming book about Tesla that he tried to replace Tim Cook as Apple CEO. The book, titled 'Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century' by The Wall Street Journal reporter Tim Higgins, claims that Musk reportedly wanted to become the Apple CEO in a 2016 phone call with Cook, who suggested to Musk that the iPhone maker acquire the electric car-maker.

Elon Musk has refuted a story based on an upcoming book about Tesla that he tried to replace Tim Cook as Apple CEO. The book, titled 'Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century' by The Wall Street Journal reporter Tim Higgins, claims that Musk reportedly wanted to become the Apple CEO in a 2016 phone call with Cook, who suggested to Musk that the iPhone maker acquire the electric car-maker. Musk reportedly said that he wished to become Apple CEO, reports The Los Angeles Times, quoting from the book. Also read | Musk says "Epic is right," takes sides in battle with Apple In a tweet on Friday, Musk denied that any such conversation ever took place. "Cook & I have never spoken or written to each other ever. There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever," Musk posted. Cook & I have never spoken or written to each other ever. There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever. He refused to meet. Tesla was worth about 6% of today’s value. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 30, 2021 × "He refused to meet. Tesla was worth about 6 per cent of today's value," the Tesla CEO added. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Cook had said: "I've never spoken to Elon, although I have great admiration and respect for the company he's built". Cook replied after Musk in December last year tweeted that he offered Cook to sell his electric car company at one-tenth of its value during the struggling period in 2017 but the Apple CEO refused to meet him. Musk had said that during the "darkest days" for Tesla Model 3, he wanted to sell the company off. "During the darkest days of the Model 3 programme, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting," Musk had said in a tweet. During the darkest days of the Model 3 program, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 22, 2020 ×

Musk denies attempting to replace Cook as Apple CEO, says he tried to sell Tesla

Apple said a global chip shortage that has bit into its ability to sell Macs and iPads will start to affect iPhone production too.

Apple's production likely to be impacted as chip shortage worsens

Apple&nbsp;Inc's cheapest handset will support 5G technology in its next iteration and its iPhone Mini will not be included in its 2022 lineup, Nikkei reported&nbsp;on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The company will start selling a 5G version of budget iPhone SE in the first half of 2022, Nikkei reported, adding the device will be powered by its A15 processor and its 5G connectivity will be enabled by Qualcomm Inc's X60 modem chip.

Telecom operators have been spending billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to the much-touted 5G to enable faster internet and better coverage.

However, analysts are skeptical of the uses of the technology to individual consumers and believe there are years to come before one can reap the actual benefits.

Meanwhile, demand for iPhone Mini, the smaller version of&nbsp;Apple's flagship device has been muted, compared with its bigger and high-end models like iPhone 12 Pros and the older iPhone 11s as users prefer larger devices to run almost every day-to-day tasks.

US&nbsp;sales of iPhone 12 Mini were just 5 per cent&nbsp;of overall sales of its new phones during the first half of January, according to industry data provider Counterpoint.

Apple&nbsp;did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Apple Inc's cheapest handset will support 5G technology in its next iteration and its iPhone Mini will not be included in its 2022 lineup, Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Apple Inc's cheapest handset will support 5G technology in its next iteration and its iPhone Mini will not be included in its 2022 lineup, Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The company will start selling a 5G version of budget iPhone SE in the first half of 2022, Nikkei reported, adding the device will be powered by its A15 processor and its 5G connectivity will be enabled by Qualcomm Inc's X60 modem chip. Telecom operators have been spending billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to the much-touted 5G to enable faster internet and better coverage. However, analysts are skeptical of the uses of the technology to individual consumers and believe there are years to come before one can reap the actual benefits. Meanwhile, demand for iPhone Mini, the smaller version of Apple's flagship device has been muted, compared with its bigger and high-end models like iPhone 12 Pros and the older iPhone 11s as users prefer larger devices to run almost every day-to-day tasks. US sales of iPhone 12 Mini were just 5 per cent of overall sales of its new phones during the first half of January, according to industry data provider Counterpoint. Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Apple to upgrade budget handset to 5G, drop iPhone Mini from 2022 lineup

Apple unveiled 'MagSafe Battery Pack' that attaches onto the rear of the iPhone 12 to provide more battery life.

It will assist consumers in getting more battery life out of their iPhones if they are nearing the end of their battery life.

One of the magnetic batteries costs $99 and is available for purchase on Apple's website.

Apple has previously sold iPhone battery cases, but the latest pack uses inbuilt magnets to attach to the iPhone 12 phones. 
 
<img alt=" MagSafe Battery Pack" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5e2f5d07-0426-493f-bae6-f3f65dcdf35c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Iphone.JPG" />

It will also function with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, as well as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini.

It works directly with the iPhone's operating system to display additional battery life in iOS, just like other Apple accessories.

(With inputs from agencies)

Apple unveiled 'MagSafe Battery Pack' that attaches onto the rear of the iPhone 12 to provide more battery life. It will assist consumers in getting more battery life out of their iPhones if they are nearing the end of their battery life.

Apple unveiled 'MagSafe Battery Pack' that attaches onto the rear of the iPhone 12 to provide more battery life. It will assist consumers in getting more battery life out of their iPhones if they are nearing the end of their battery life. One of the magnetic batteries costs $99 and is available for purchase on Apple's website. Apple has previously sold iPhone battery cases, but the latest pack uses inbuilt magnets to attach to the iPhone 12 phones. It will also function with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, as well as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini. It works directly with the iPhone's operating system to display additional battery life in iOS, just like other Apple accessories. (With inputs from agencies)

This battery will snap tight to your iPhone: Apple launches MagSafe pack

Apple Inc is working on a service that will let users pay for purchases in instalments, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, sending shares of Afterpay Ltd and other "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) companies sharply lower. 
 
The US&nbsp;tech giant will use Goldman Sachs, its partner since 2019 for the Apple Card credit card, as the lender for the loans, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. 
 
Shares of Australia-listed Afterpay, the country's biggest BNPL provider, slid close to 10% in Wednesday trading. Smaller rival Zip Co Ltd and Sezzle also fell sharply. Nasdaq-listed Affirm Holdings Inc tumbled more than 14% on Tuesday before closing down 10.5%. 
 
The BNPL industry has boomed over the past year due to a pandemic-driven surge in online shopping. The trend has also attracted the attention of mainstream firms such as PayPal Holdings Inc. 
 
The prospect of going up against a company the size of Apple, as well as other likely entrants, would pose a major test to pure-play BNPL firms which have so far gone largely unchallenged. 
 
The Bloomberg report said Apple Pay users would be allowed to split their payments into four interest-free instalments, or across several months with interest. 
 
A Goldman Sachs spokesperson declined to comment. Apple was not immediately available for comment. 
 
Such an offering would rival similar services by Klarna, Afterpay, Zip's Quadpay and Affirm in the United States, the sector's key growth market where competition is intense. 
 
PayPal launched its BNPL service in Australia on Wednesday, challenging Afterpay on its home turf where the U.S. payments giant said it would do away with late fees, an area that earned Afterpay close to A$70 million in fiscal 2020. 
 
A Zip spokesman said Apple`s reported move was "validation that what Zip has been doing is resonating with customers and merchants" and that it was growing customer numbers despite increased competition.

Apple Inc is working on a service that will let users pay for purchases in instalments, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, sending shares of Afterpay Ltd and other "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) companies sharply lower.

Apple Inc is working on a service that will let users pay for purchases in instalments, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, sending shares of Afterpay Ltd and other "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) companies sharply lower. The US tech giant will use Goldman Sachs, its partner since 2019 for the Apple Card credit card, as the lender for the loans, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of Australia-listed Afterpay, the country's biggest BNPL provider, slid close to 10% in Wednesday trading. Smaller rival Zip Co Ltd and Sezzle also fell sharply. Nasdaq-listed Affirm Holdings Inc tumbled more than 14% on Tuesday before closing down 10.5%. The BNPL industry has boomed over the past year due to a pandemic-driven surge in online shopping. The trend has also attracted the attention of mainstream firms such as PayPal Holdings Inc. The prospect of going up against a company the size of Apple, as well as other likely entrants, would pose a major test to pure-play BNPL firms which have so far gone largely unchallenged. The Bloomberg report said Apple Pay users would be allowed to split their payments into four interest-free instalments, or across several months with interest. A Goldman Sachs spokesperson declined to comment. Apple was not immediately available for comment. Such an offering would rival similar services by Klarna, Afterpay, Zip's Quadpay and Affirm in the United States, the sector's key growth market where competition is intense. PayPal launched its BNPL service in Australia on Wednesday, challenging Afterpay on its home turf where the U.S. payments giant said it would do away with late fees, an area that earned Afterpay close to A$70 million in fiscal 2020. A Zip spokesman said Apple`s reported move was "validation that what Zip has been doing is resonating with customers and merchants" and that it was growing customer numbers despite increased competition.

Apple's potential 'buy now, pay later' plan sends sector tumbling

On June 29, 2007 Apple Inc&nbsp;commanded the world’s attention with the release of the first-ever iPhone.&nbsp;

With a modest storage capacity of 4-8 GB, the phone wouldn’t stand a chance against advanced successors from the ongoing generation of iPhones. Even then, the release date of the first iPhone marks a historic moment in the smartphone industry which propelled the development of applications, the process of smartening phones, and to improve computer-like processing on small devices.

Here’s a look at how iPhones have evolved since 2007

<img alt="iPhone 1" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9499c3a5-3666-4112-a31b-fb6547e4254a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_68.jpg" />

The iPhone 1, simply known as iPhone was announced in January 9, 2007 but was released on June 29, 2007, by the trailblazing CEO Steve Jobs. With a 3.5 inch screen and a 2-megapixel camera, the phone solidified the potential of pocket-size computers.&nbsp;

On July 11, 2008, Apple released the iPhone 3G, which built on the first-generation device. It offered more storage extending upto 16 GB and faster speeds with 3G connectivity. Location services were introduced in this model, which Jobs had once claimed were going to be&nbsp;the basis of what iPhones intended to achieve in the tech world.

<img alt="iPhone 3GS" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="11dfba95-4ccf-46f4-b991-4668263ac6a0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_54.jpg" />

A smaller update showed up a year later with iPhone 3GS, which offered storage upto 32 GB. It&nbsp;may seem like an insult to current device capabilities but signified a big step for miniature technology back in the day.

<img alt="iPhone 4" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="edcfc26f-a80f-4dbb-9ddc-c224540f4d5d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_43.jpg" />

In 2010, Apple was looking for ways to refine the iPhone experience and released the iPhone 4&nbsp;on June 24. The famous feature called FaceTime, which has come to define Apple devices was first offered on this iteration of the device. Apple’s Retina Display also made its debut on iPhone 4. A year later, iPhone 4S&nbsp;showed up, extending storage upto 64 GB.&nbsp;

<img alt="iPhone 5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7df830d3-115e-4d7f-92ba-041ba155a596" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/4_14.jpg" />

But the company stepped up its game by releasing iPhone 5 on September 15, 2012. Slimmer, faster, and better looking, Steve Jobs called it the best thing to happen to iPhone since the original iPhone. A year later, smaller updates manifested in the iPhone 5S, which introduced us to fingerprint security and the modestly priced iPhone 5C.

<img alt="iPHone 6" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="96e8891e-2faa-4e7a-a0f7-824302d2dbed" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/5_8.jpg" />

With big screens dominating the market and Android phones boasting similar and sometimes better features on richer screens in 2014, Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The latter was the company’s first large-screen phone with pure Apple joy spread across 5.5 inches.&nbsp;

Then appeared iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus in 2015 with a groundbreaking touch technology called 3D Touch&nbsp;which earned praise from users but was discontinued eventually.&nbsp;

<img alt="iPhone 7" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="788a33ad-e2c8-4a57-9ace-db03b6340ca2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/6_1.jpg" />

In 2016, Apple pushed the boundaries again when it announced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus series, which eliminated the audio jack, removed the home button,&nbsp;and introduced a dual camera.

Building on the risk-laden success of iPhone 7 series, Apple introduced the iPhone 8 series on September 12, 2017 which brought wireless charging to the smartphone line. In addition, the series also came with glass front and backs, similar to the design of iPhone 4 and 4S.&nbsp;

<img alt="iPhone X" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fda77db6-d41e-4790-af2b-5cec151f35cc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/7_0.jpg" />

But all that wasn’t enough. On the same day, the company announced iPhone X, an homage to&nbsp;company’s 10-year-long&nbsp;in the smartphone industry. With storage running upto 256 GB and an edge-to-edge display, the iPhone X gifted users with a richer experience courtesy of Super Retina Display. With it came a plethora of new features like Face ID, which replaced the Touch ID and used biometric facial data to unlock phones.

In between 2017-2021, Apple has released iPhone XR, iPhone XS/iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max which is largely built on the design and radical capabilities of the iPhone X.

<img alt="iPHone" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e4638c72-af8b-435f-9a17-b48f2572803f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/8.jpg" />

The latest generation Apple smartphone is called iPhone 12, which also comes with a mini iteration called iPhone 12 Mini. The flagship packs Super Retina XDR display and introduced 5G connectivity to iPhones. Complementing these devices were iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, which come with a&nbsp;super size screen measuring 6.7 inches.

The company has made great strides in packing life-size features in pocket-size devices that has in turn driven development of technology thought unimaginable less than a decade back.

Do you think Apple will keep the momentum going with its next generation of iPhones?

(Images 1-7:&nbsp;Wikimedia Commons, Image 8: AFP)

On June 29, 2007 Apple Inc commanded the world’s attention with the release of the first-ever iPhone. With a modest storage capacity of 4-8 GB, the phone wouldn’t stand a chance against advanced successors from the ongoing generation of iPhones.

On June 29, 2007 Apple Inc commanded the world’s attention with the release of the first-ever iPhone. With a modest storage capacity of 4-8 GB, the phone wouldn’t stand a chance against advanced successors from the ongoing generation of iPhones. Even then, the release date of the first iPhone marks a historic moment in the smartphone industry which propelled the development of applications, the process of smartening phones, and to improve computer-like processing on small devices. Here’s a look at how iPhones have evolved since 2007 The iPhone 1, simply known as iPhone was announced in January 9, 2007 but was released on June 29, 2007, by the trailblazing CEO Steve Jobs. With a 3.5 inch screen and a 2-megapixel camera, the phone solidified the potential of pocket-size computers. On July 11, 2008, Apple released the iPhone 3G, which built on the first-generation device. It offered more storage extending upto 16 GB and faster speeds with 3G connectivity. Location services were introduced in this model, which Jobs had once claimed were going to be the basis of what iPhones intended to achieve in the tech world. A smaller update showed up a year later with iPhone 3GS, which offered storage upto 32 GB. It may seem like an insult to current device capabilities but signified a big step for miniature technology back in the day. In 2010, Apple was looking for ways to refine the iPhone experience and released the iPhone 4 on June 24. The famous feature called FaceTime, which has come to define Apple devices was first offered on this iteration of the device. Apple’s Retina Display also made its debut on iPhone 4. A year later, iPhone 4S showed up, extending storage upto 64 GB. But the company stepped up its game by releasing iPhone 5 on September 15, 2012. Slimmer, faster, and better looking, Steve Jobs called it the best thing to happen to iPhone since the original iPhone. A year later, smaller updates manifested in the iPhone 5S, which introduced us to fingerprint security and the modestly priced iPhone 5C. With big screens dominating the market and Android phones boasting similar and sometimes better features on richer screens in 2014, Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The latter was the company’s first large-screen phone with pure Apple joy spread across 5.5 inches. Then appeared iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus in 2015 with a groundbreaking touch technology called 3D Touch which earned praise from users but was discontinued eventually. In 2016, Apple pushed the boundaries again when it announced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus series, which eliminated the audio jack, removed the home button, and introduced a dual camera. Building on the risk-laden success of iPhone 7 series, Apple introduced the iPhone 8 series on September 12, 2017 which brought wireless charging to the smartphone line. In addition, the series also came with glass front and backs, similar to the design of iPhone 4 and 4S. But all that wasn’t enough. On the same day, the company announced iPhone X, an homage to company’s 10-year-long in the smartphone industry. With storage running upto 256 GB and an edge-to-edge display, the iPhone X gifted users with a richer experience courtesy of Super Retina Display. With it came a plethora of new features like Face ID, which replaced the Touch ID and used biometric facial data to unlock phones. In between 2017-2021, Apple has released iPhone XR, iPhone XS/iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max which is largely built on the design and radical capabilities of the iPhone X. The latest generation Apple smartphone is called iPhone 12, which also comes with a mini iteration called iPhone 12 Mini. The flagship packs Super Retina XDR display and introduced 5G connectivity to iPhones. Complementing these devices were iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, which come with a super size screen measuring 6.7 inches. The company has made great strides in packing life-size features in pocket-size devices that has in turn driven development of technology thought unimaginable less than a decade back. Do you think Apple will keep the momentum going with its next generation of iPhones? (Images 1-7: Wikimedia Commons, Image 8: AFP)

iPhone celebrates 14 years: Take a look at the journey of Apple's smartphone devices

After being forced to close under a new national security law on June 24, Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily tabloid declared itself a "victim of tyranny" in a defiant final edition, ending a 26-year run of criticising China's authoritarian government.

Hong Kong's most popular tabloid had long been a thorn in Beijing's side, with unapologetic support for the city's pro-democracy movement and caustic criticism of China's authoritarian leaders.

The immediate closure of the popular newspaper is the latest setback for Hong Kong's freedoms, raising concerns about whether the international financial centre can continue to function as a media hub as China attempts to suppress dissent.

Queues formed across Hong Kong on Thursday as residents raced to snap up one of the one million copies Apple Daily said it planned to print. Many vendors sold out within minutes and were awaiting fresh deliveries. 
 
<img alt="Apple-daily" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8d54a020-2953-4e40-bcb8-07600eaa37a3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9D23J4.jpg" /> 
 
A newsstand owner poses with a copy of the Apple Daily newspaper's final edition in Hong Kong's Central district on June 24, 2021. (AFP Photo)

The swansong front page featured the paper's journalists waving goodbye to crowds outside its headquarters.

"Apple Daily is dead," deputy chief editor Chan Pui-man, who was arrested last week on a national security charge, wrote in a farewell letter to readers.

"Press freedom became the victim of tyranny."

Also Watch |&nbsp;Hong Kong's Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper announces closure

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hong-kongs-apple-daily-pro-democracy-newspaper-announces-closure-393442/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the working-class district of Mongkok, hundreds queued through the early hours of the morning to get their hands on the final edition, some chanting "Apple Daily we will meet again!"

"It's very shocking," a 30-year-old woman, who was in the queue and gave her first name like Candy, told AFP.

"Within two weeks, authorities could use this national security law to dismantle a listed company."

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese edition of Apply Daily promised readers that its operations would continue despite the island's government's criticism of its Hong Kong sister paper's closure under national security law. 
 
<img alt="Apple Daily" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6caae6de-dc0b-493e-be97-471288f6c3c1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9D23J6.jpg" /> 
 
People queue to buy copies of the Apple Daily newspaper's final edition in Hong Kong's Central district on June 24, 2021. (AFP Photo)

The cash-strapped Taiwanese edition of Apple Daily ceased its print edition last month, 18 years after it was founded. But its website is still going.

The company had planned to sell its Taiwanese wing in April. But its board later took a U-turn, saying the sale was no longer in its best interests.

Taiwan's top China policy-making body, the Mainland Affairs Council, warned on Thursday that the demise of the Hong Kong paper was "sounding the death knell" for the city's press and speech freedoms.

(With inputs from AFP)

After being forced to close under a new national security law on June 24, Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily tabloid declared itself a "victim of tyranny" in a defiant final edition, ending a 26-year run of criticising China's authoritarian government.

After being forced to close under a new national security law on June 24, Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily tabloid declared itself a "victim of tyranny" in a defiant final edition, ending a 26-year run of criticising China's authoritarian government. Hong Kong's most popular tabloid had long been a thorn in Beijing's side, with unapologetic support for the city's pro-democracy movement and caustic criticism of China's authoritarian leaders. The immediate closure of the popular newspaper is the latest setback for Hong Kong's freedoms, raising concerns about whether the international financial centre can continue to function as a media hub as China attempts to suppress dissent. Queues formed across Hong Kong on Thursday as residents raced to snap up one of the one million copies Apple Daily said it planned to print. Many vendors sold out within minutes and were awaiting fresh deliveries. A newsstand owner poses with a copy of the Apple Daily newspaper's final edition in Hong Kong's Central district on June 24, 2021. (AFP Photo) The swansong front page featured the paper's journalists waving goodbye to crowds outside its headquarters. "Apple Daily is dead," deputy chief editor Chan Pui-man, who was arrested last week on a national security charge, wrote in a farewell letter to readers. "Press freedom became the victim of tyranny." Also Watch | Hong Kong's Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper announces closure In the working-class district of Mongkok, hundreds queued through the early hours of the morning to get their hands on the final edition, some chanting "Apple Daily we will meet again!" "It's very shocking," a 30-year-old woman, who was in the queue and gave her first name like Candy, told AFP. "Within two weeks, authorities could use this national security law to dismantle a listed company." Meanwhile, the Taiwanese edition of Apply Daily promised readers that its operations would continue despite the island's government's criticism of its Hong Kong sister paper's closure under national security law. People queue to buy copies of the Apple Daily newspaper's final edition in Hong Kong's Central district on June 24, 2021. (AFP Photo) The cash-strapped Taiwanese edition of Apple Daily ceased its print edition last month, 18 years after it was founded. But its website is still going. The company had planned to sell its Taiwanese wing in April. But its board later took a U-turn, saying the sale was no longer in its best interests. Taiwan's top China policy-making body, the Mainland Affairs Council, warned on Thursday that the demise of the Hong Kong paper was "sounding the death knell" for the city's press and speech freedoms. (With inputs from AFP)

Hong Kong citizens snap up final edition of Apple Daily, Taiwan edition to continue operations

Hong&nbsp;Kong's&nbsp;most vocal pro-democracy newspaper,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Daily, printed its last edition on Thursday after a stormy year in which its tycoon owner and other staff were arrested under a new national security law, and its assets were frozen.

The closure of the popular tabloid, which mixes pro-democracy views with celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power, marks the end of an era for media freedom in the Chinese-ruled city, critics say.

"Thank you to all readers, subscribers, ad clients and&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kongers for 26 years of immense love and support. Here we say goodbye, take care of yourselves," the paper said in an online article.

Hundreds of supporters gathered outside&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Daily's building on Wednesday night to show support, sometimes in heavy rain, and waved smartphone lights. Journalists came out onto the balcony and responded with their own phones.

The last front page carried a photograph of a member of staff waving at supporters, with the headline "Hong&nbsp;Kongers bid a&nbsp;painful farewell&nbsp;in the rain".

A Reuters reporter present in the&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;newsroom saw dozens of journalists break into applause once the final edition was sent to press, and some in tears.

Reporter Alvin Chan went outside to distribute free copies to the supporters, saying: "I hope everyone can ... continue to believe in our values."

The paper, whose online version will also stop updating, said it was printing a million copies of its last edition - more than 10 times its normal print run.

Shortly after midnight, some newsstands waiting for delivery already had hundreds of people queueing.

Apple&nbsp;Daily's support for democratic rights and freedoms has made it a thorn in Beijing's side since owner Jimmy Lai, a self-made tycoon who was smuggled from mainland China into&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong on a fishing boat at the age of 12, started it in 1995.

It shook up the region's Chinese-language media landscape and became a champion of democracy on the margins of Communist China. Its demise leaves only a handful of small online outlets on that side of politics, including Stand News and Citizen News.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/john-mcafee-antivirus-software-creator-turned-fugitive-dies-by-hanging-in-spanish-jail-393513">Also Read |&nbsp;John McAfee, antivirus software creator turned fugitive, dies by hanging in Spanish jail</a>

Staff unions at Citizen News and six other media groups said they would wear black on Thursday in protest at what they described as "the government’s blow against freedom of the press". Management at Citizen News and Stand News could not be reached for comment.

CHALLENGE TO BEIJING

Apple&nbsp;Daily's supporters championed it as a beacon of media freedom in the Chinese-speaking world. It repeatedly challenged Beijing's authoritarianism and was read by dissidents and a more liberal Chinese diaspora.

Lai, whose assets have been frozen, has been in jail since December on charges, stemming from pro-democracy protests, of taking part in unauthorised assemblies.

Some rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the action against the newspaper.

Hong&nbsp;Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of the raid on the newspaper amounted to attempts to "beautify" acts that endangered national security. Chinese&nbsp;officials have denounced the criticism as interference.

Hong&nbsp;Kong and mainland&nbsp;officials have repeatedly said that media freedoms are respected but are not absolute.

Apple&nbsp;Daily, which was published by Next Digital and employed hundreds of journalists, said in its online article that the decision to close was "based on employee safety and manpower considerations".

Since being raided by police, the newspaper says it has suffered mass resignations and entire departments have had to close.

Last week, the assets of companies linked to the newspaper were frozen and five executives were arrested. On Wednesday, police arrested a columnist on suspicion of conspiring to collude with foreign forces.

Apple&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;and Next Digital management could not be reached to comment further.

In an interview with Reuters, an adviser to Lai said on Monday that the paper would close "in a matter of days".

The paper's newsroom was raided by about 200 police last August, when Lai was arrested on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces, and again last week, by 500 police, when the other executives were detained.

INCREASED PRINT RUN

On both occasions, the paper said it had increased its print run to 500,000 the following day from the usual 80,000, and residents of the city of 7.5 million snapped it up before dawn.

The police action was the most direct attack on&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's&nbsp;freewheeling media since Beijing regained control of the city in 1997.

Authorities in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong have said the moves against&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;were not targeting the media industry or press freedom.

The security law imposed on the city last year as Beijing's first major move to put&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong on a more authoritarian path.

Lam and other pro-Beijing&nbsp;officials have said it has restored stability after months of often violent pro-democracy protests.

The Taiwan arm of&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;said it would continue to publish online, as its finances are independent.

Apple&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;has come under increasing pressure since Lai was arrested last year under the security legislation.

Authorities have said dozens of&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;articles may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media reports under the legislation.

Next Digital has been kept afloat by loans from Lai. In May, Reuters reported exclusively that&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong’s security chief had sent letters to branches of HSBC and Citibank threatening up to seven years’ jail for any dealings with the billionaire's account&nbsp;in the city.

Also Watch |&nbsp;Hong Kong's Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper announces closure

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hong-kongs-apple-daily-pro-democracy-newspaper-announces-closure-393442/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

Hong Kong's most vocal pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily, printed its last edition on Thursday after a stormy year in which its tycoon owner and other staff were arrested under a new national security law, and its assets were frozen.

Hong Kong's most vocal pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily, printed its last edition on Thursday after a stormy year in which its tycoon owner and other staff were arrested under a new national security law, and its assets were frozen. The closure of the popular tabloid, which mixes pro-democracy views with celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power, marks the end of an era for media freedom in the Chinese-ruled city, critics say. "Thank you to all readers, subscribers, ad clients and Hong Kongers for 26 years of immense love and support. Here we say goodbye, take care of yourselves," the paper said in an online article. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside Apple Daily's building on Wednesday night to show support, sometimes in heavy rain, and waved smartphone lights. Journalists came out onto the balcony and responded with their own phones. The last front page carried a photograph of a member of staff waving at supporters, with the headline "Hong Kongers bid a painful farewell in the rain". A Reuters reporter present in the Apple Daily newsroom saw dozens of journalists break into applause once the final edition was sent to press, and some in tears. Reporter Alvin Chan went outside to distribute free copies to the supporters, saying: "I hope everyone can ... continue to believe in our values." The paper, whose online version will also stop updating, said it was printing a million copies of its last edition - more than 10 times its normal print run. Shortly after midnight, some newsstands waiting for delivery already had hundreds of people queueing. Apple Daily's support for democratic rights and freedoms has made it a thorn in Beijing's side since owner Jimmy Lai, a self-made tycoon who was smuggled from mainland China into Hong Kong on a fishing boat at the age of 12, started it in 1995. It shook up the region's Chinese-language media landscape and became a champion of democracy on the margins of Communist China. Its demise leaves only a handful of small online outlets on that side of politics, including Stand News and Citizen News. Also Read | John McAfee, antivirus software creator turned fugitive, dies by hanging in Spanish jail Staff unions at Citizen News and six other media groups said they would wear black on Thursday in protest at what they described as "the government’s blow against freedom of the press". Management at Citizen News and Stand News could not be reached for comment. CHALLENGE TO BEIJING Apple Daily's supporters championed it as a beacon of media freedom in the Chinese-speaking world. It repeatedly challenged Beijing's authoritarianism and was read by dissidents and a more liberal Chinese diaspora. Lai, whose assets have been frozen, has been in jail since December on charges, stemming from pro-democracy protests, of taking part in unauthorised assemblies. Some rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the action against the newspaper. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of the raid on the newspaper amounted to attempts to "beautify" acts that endangered national security. Chinese officials have denounced the criticism as interference. Hong Kong and mainland officials have repeatedly said that media freedoms are respected but are not absolute. Apple Daily, which was published by Next Digital and employed hundreds of journalists, said in its online article that the decision to close was "based on employee safety and manpower considerations". Since being raided by police, the newspaper says it has suffered mass resignations and entire departments have had to close. Last week, the assets of companies linked to the newspaper were frozen and five executives were arrested. On Wednesday, police arrested a columnist on suspicion of conspiring to collude with foreign forces. Apple Daily and Next Digital management could not be reached to comment further. In an interview with Reuters, an adviser to Lai said on Monday that the paper would close "in a matter of days". The paper's newsroom was raided by about 200 police last August, when Lai was arrested on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces, and again last week, by 500 police, when the other executives were detained. INCREASED PRINT RUN On both occasions, the paper said it had increased its print run to 500,000 the following day from the usual 80,000, and residents of the city of 7.5 million snapped it up before dawn. The police action was the most direct attack on Hong Kong's freewheeling media since Beijing regained control of the city in 1997. Authorities in Hong Kong have said the moves against Apple Daily were not targeting the media industry or press freedom. The security law imposed on the city last year as Beijing's first major move to put Hong Kong on a more authoritarian path. Lam and other pro-Beijing officials have said it has restored stability after months of often violent pro-democracy protests. The Taiwan arm of Apple Daily said it would continue to publish online, as its finances are independent. Apple Daily has come under increasing pressure since Lai was arrested last year under the security legislation. Authorities have said dozens of Apple Daily articles may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media reports under the legislation. Next Digital has been kept afloat by loans from Lai. In May, Reuters reported exclusively that Hong Kong’s security chief had sent letters to branches of HSBC and Citibank threatening up to seven years’ jail for any dealings with the billionaire's account in the city. Also Watch | Hong Kong's Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper announces closure

Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily signs off in painful farewell

Germany's antitrust watchdog said on Monday it had launched an investigation into whether Apple was exploiting its market dominance, following similar proceedings into US&nbsp;tech rivals Facebook, Amazon and Google. 
 
Based on new competition law rules specifically intended for large digital companies, Germany's Federal Cartel Office (FCO) said it would assess whether Apple has a 'paramount significance across markets' in a first step. 
 
"Based on this first proceeding, the (FCO) intends to assess in more detail specific practices of Apple in a possible further proceeding. In this regard, the authority has received various complaints relating to potentially anti-competitive practices." 
 
The FCO said one complaint came from an association in the advertising and media industry and was aimed at Apple restricting user tracking with the introduction of its iOS 14.5 operating system. 
 
An Apple spokesperson said: "We look forward to discussing our approach with the FCO and having an open dialogue about any of their concerns."

Germany's antitrust watchdog said on Monday it had launched an investigation into whether Apple was exploiting its market dominance, following similar proceedings into US tech rivals Facebook, Amazon and Google.

Germany's antitrust watchdog said on Monday it had launched an investigation into whether Apple was exploiting its market dominance, following similar proceedings into US tech rivals Facebook, Amazon and Google. Based on new competition law rules specifically intended for large digital companies, Germany's Federal Cartel Office (FCO) said it would assess whether Apple has a 'paramount significance across markets' in a first step. "Based on this first proceeding, the (FCO) intends to assess in more detail specific practices of Apple in a possible further proceeding. In this regard, the authority has received various complaints relating to potentially anti-competitive practices." The FCO said one complaint came from an association in the advertising and media industry and was aimed at Apple restricting user tracking with the introduction of its iOS 14.5 operating system. An Apple spokesperson said: "We look forward to discussing our approach with the FCO and having an open dialogue about any of their concerns."

German antitrust watchdog launches investigation into Apple

Others arrested included Cheung Kim-hung, the CEO of Next Digital, which operates Apple Daily, as well as its chief operating officer and two other editors.

5 Apple Daily executives arrested under Hong Kong security law

Hong Kong police arrest five of newspaper Apple Daily

The Justice Department subpoenaed Apple for information in February 2018 about an account that belonged to Donald McGahn, former President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a> White House counsel at the time, and barred the company from telling him about it, according to two people briefed on the matter.

Apple told McGahn about the subpoena last month, said one of the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. McGahn’s wife also received a similar notice from Apple, the person said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/everyone-should-ban-them-trump-hails-nigerias-twitter-ban-390424" hreflang="en">'Everyone should ban them': Trump hails Nigeria's Twitter ban</a>

It is not clear what FBI agents were investigating, whether McGahn was their specific focus or whether he was swept up in a larger net because he had communicated with someone who was under scrutiny. As the top lawyer for the 2016 Trump campaign and then the White House counsel, McGahn was in contact with numerous people who may have drawn attention either as part of the Russia investigation or a later leak inquiry.

Still, the disclosure that agents had collected data of a sitting White House counsel, which they kept secret for years, is extraordinary.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/directionless-and-poor-management-senate-report-highlights-faulty-leadership-during-capitol-riots-390235" hreflang="en">Directionless and poor management: Senate report highlights faulty leadership during Capitol riots</a>

And it comes amid a political backlash after revelations that the Trump administration secretly seized the personal data of reporters and Democrats in Congress from phone and tech companies while investigating leaks.

Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill on Sunday ratcheted up pressure on the Justice Department and former officials to provide a fuller accounting of events. They called on the head of the Justice Department’s national security division, John Demers, and the former deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, to testify before Congress along with former attorneys general Jeff Sessions and William Barr.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-was-scared-biden-would-be-replaced-with-hillary-clinton-or-michelle-obama-book-claims-390209" hreflang="en">Trump was scared Biden would be replaced with Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama, book claims</a>

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment, as did a lawyer for McGahn. An Apple representative did not respond to a request for comment.

Apple told McGahn that it had complied with the subpoena in a timely fashion but declined to tell him what it had provided the government, according to a person briefed on the matter. Under Justice Department policy, gag orders for subpoenas may be renewed for up to a year at a time, suggesting that prosecutors went to court several times to prevent Apple from notifying the McGahns earlier.

In investigations, agents sometimes compile a large list of phone numbers and email addresses that were in contact with a subject, and seek to identify all those people by using subpoenas to communications companies for any account information like names, computer addresses and credit card numbers associated with them.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/our-president-donald-trump-attacks-fauci-hints-at-re-run-in-2024-election-390165" hreflang="en">'Our president': Donald Trump attacks Fauci, hints at re-run in 2024 election</a>

Apple told the McGahns that it had received the subpoena Feb. 23, 2018, according to a person briefed on the matter.

Under federal law, prosecutors generally need to obtain permission from a federal judge in order to compel a company like Apple to delay notifying people that their personal information has been subpoenaed, said Paul Rosen, a former federal prosecutor and a partner at Crowell and Moring.

“There is a lot here we don’t know, including the facts and circumstances surrounding the request for the delay and what was presented to the judge,” Rosen said. But, he added, prosecutors typically need to prove that either notifying the person “would endanger someone’s safety, risk the destruction of evidence or intimidation of witnesses, or seriously jeopardize an investigation.”

The subpoena was issued by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, the other person familiar with the matter said.

It is not clear why prosecutors obtained the subpoena. But several notable developments were unfolding around that time.

The federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia was the center of one part of the Russia inquiry led by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, that focused on Paul Manafort, a former chair of the 2016 Trump presidential campaign.

Because McGahn had been the top lawyer for the Trump campaign in 2016, it is possible that at some earlier point he had been among those in contact with someone whose account the Mueller team was scrutinizing in early 2018.

Notably, Manafort had been hit with new fraud charges unsealed the day before the subpoena. Subsequent developments revealed that Mueller’s investigators were closely scrutinizing some of his communications accounts in the following days.

On the other hand, the Manafort case was largely handled in the District of Columbia, where he faced separate charges. Still, the Mueller team was also working with federal prosecutors in Virginia during that period on an unregistered foreign agent case related to Turkey and a business partner of Michael Flynn’s, Trump’s former national security adviser who had also advised him during the 2016 campaign.

It was also around that time that McGahn was involved in another matter related to the Russia investigation, one that included a leak.

In late January 2018, The New York Times reported, based on confidential sourcing, that Trump had ordered McGahn the previous June to have the Justice Department remove Mueller, but McGahn had refused to do so and threatened to resign. The Washington Post confirmed that account soon after in a follow-up article.

The Mueller report — and McGahn in private testimony before the House Judiciary Committee this month — described Trump’s anger at McGahn after the Times article and how he had tried to persuade McGahn to make a statement falsely denying it. Trump told aides that McGahn was a “liar” and a “leaker,” according to former Trump administration officials. In his testimony, McGahn said that he had been a source for the Post’s follow-up to clarify a nuance — to whom he had conveyed his intentions to resign — but he had not been a source for the original Times article.

There are reasons to doubt that McGahn was the target of any Justice Department leak investigation stemming from that episode, however. Information about Trump’s orders to dismiss Mueller, for example, would not appear to be a classified national security secret of the sort that it can be a crime to disclose.

&nbsp;

The Justice Department subpoenaed Apple for information in February 2018 about an account that belonged to Donald McGahn, former President Donald Trump’s White House counsel at the time, and barred the company from telling him about it, according to two people briefed on the matter.

The Justice Department subpoenaed Apple for information in February 2018 about an account that belonged to Donald McGahn, former President Donald Trump’s White House counsel at the time, and barred the company from telling him about it, according to two people briefed on the matter. Apple told McGahn about the subpoena last month, said one of the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. McGahn’s wife also received a similar notice from Apple, the person said. Also read | 'Everyone should ban them': Trump hails Nigeria's Twitter ban It is not clear what FBI agents were investigating, whether McGahn was their specific focus or whether he was swept up in a larger net because he had communicated with someone who was under scrutiny. As the top lawyer for the 2016 Trump campaign and then the White House counsel, McGahn was in contact with numerous people who may have drawn attention either as part of the Russia investigation or a later leak inquiry. Still, the disclosure that agents had collected data of a sitting White House counsel, which they kept secret for years, is extraordinary. Also read | Directionless and poor management: Senate report highlights faulty leadership during Capitol riots And it comes amid a political backlash after revelations that the Trump administration secretly seized the personal data of reporters and Democrats in Congress from phone and tech companies while investigating leaks. Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill on Sunday ratcheted up pressure on the Justice Department and former officials to provide a fuller accounting of events. They called on the head of the Justice Department’s national security division, John Demers, and the former deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, to testify before Congress along with former attorneys general Jeff Sessions and William Barr. Also read | Trump was scared Biden would be replaced with Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama, book claims A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment, as did a lawyer for McGahn. An Apple representative did not respond to a request for comment. Apple told McGahn that it had complied with the subpoena in a timely fashion but declined to tell him what it had provided the government, according to a person briefed on the matter. Under Justice Department policy, gag orders for subpoenas may be renewed for up to a year at a time, suggesting that prosecutors went to court several times to prevent Apple from notifying the McGahns earlier. In investigations, agents sometimes compile a large list of phone numbers and email addresses that were in contact with a subject, and seek to identify all those people by using subpoenas to communications companies for any account information like names, computer addresses and credit card numbers associated with them. Also read | 'Our president': Donald Trump attacks Fauci, hints at re-run in 2024 election Apple told the McGahns that it had received the subpoena Feb. 23, 2018, according to a person briefed on the matter. Under federal law, prosecutors generally need to obtain permission from a federal judge in order to compel a company like Apple to delay notifying people that their personal information has been subpoenaed, said Paul Rosen, a former federal prosecutor and a partner at Crowell and Moring. “There is a lot here we don’t know, including the facts and circumstances surrounding the request for the delay and what was presented to the judge,” Rosen said. But, he added, prosecutors typically need to prove that either notifying the person “would endanger someone’s safety, risk the destruction of evidence or intimidation of witnesses, or seriously jeopardize an investigation.” The subpoena was issued by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, the other person familiar with the matter said. It is not clear why prosecutors obtained the subpoena. But several notable developments were unfolding around that time. The federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia was the center of one part of the Russia inquiry led by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, that focused on Paul Manafort, a former chair of the 2016 Trump presidential campaign. Because McGahn had been the top lawyer for the Trump campaign in 2016, it is possible that at some earlier point he had been among those in contact with someone whose account the Mueller team was scrutinizing in early 2018. Notably, Manafort had been hit with new fraud charges unsealed the day before the subpoena. Subsequent developments revealed that Mueller’s investigators were closely scrutinizing some of his communications accounts in the following days. On the other hand, the Manafort case was largely handled in the District of Columbia, where he faced separate charges. Still, the Mueller team was also working with federal prosecutors in Virginia during that period on an unregistered foreign agent case related to Turkey and a business partner of Michael Flynn’s, Trump’s former national security adviser who had also advised him during the 2016 campaign. It was also around that time that McGahn was involved in another matter related to the Russia investigation, one that included a leak. In late January 2018, The New York Times reported, based on confidential sourcing, that Trump had ordered McGahn the previous June to have the Justice Department remove Mueller, but McGahn had refused to do so and threatened to resign. The Washington Post confirmed that account soon after in a follow-up article. The Mueller report — and McGahn in private testimony before the House Judiciary Committee this month — described Trump’s anger at McGahn after the Times article and how he had tried to persuade McGahn to make a statement falsely denying it. Trump told aides that McGahn was a “liar” and a “leaker,” according to former Trump administration officials. In his testimony, McGahn said that he had been a source for the Post’s follow-up to clarify a nuance — to whom he had conveyed his intentions to resign — but he had not been a source for the original Times article. There are reasons to doubt that McGahn was the target of any Justice Department leak investigation stemming from that episode, however. Information about Trump’s orders to dismiss Mueller, for example, would not appear to be a classified national security secret of the sort that it can be a crime to disclose.

Apple is said to have turned over data on Trump’s White House counsel in 2018

On Feb. 6, 2018, Apple received a grand jury subpoena for the names and phone records connected to 109 email addresses and phone numbers. It was one of the more than 250 data requests that the company received on average from US law enforcement each week at the time. An Apple paralegal complied and provided the information.

This year, a gag order on the subpoena expired. Apple said it alerted the people who were the subjects of the subpoena, just as it does with dozens of customers each day. But this request was out of the ordinary.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-officials-seized-apple-data-of-two-democratic-lawmakers-new-york-times-390716">Trump officials seized Apple data of two Democratic lawmakers: New York Times</a>

Without knowing it, Apple said, it had handed over the data of congressional staffers, their families and at least two members of Congress, including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., then the House Intelligence Committee’s ranking member and now its chair. It turned out the subpoena was part of a wide-ranging investigation by the Trump administration into leaks of classified information.

The revelations have now plunged Apple into the middle of a firestorm over the Trump administration’s efforts to find the sources of news stories, and the handling underscores the flood of law enforcement requests that tech companies increasingly contend with. The number of these requests has soared in recent years to thousands a week, putting Apple and other tech giants like Google and Microsoft in an uncomfortable position between law enforcement, the courts and the customers whose privacy they have promised to protect.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-google-and-a-deal-that-controls-the-internet-337885">Apple, Google and a deal that controls the internet</a>

The companies regularly comply with the requests because they are legally required to do so. The subpoenas can be vague, so Apple, Google and others are often unclear on the nature or subject of an investigation. They can challenge some subpoenas if they are too broad or if they relate to a corporate client. In the first six months of 2020, Apple challenged 238 demands from the government for its customers’ account data or 4 per cent of such requests.

As part of the same leak investigation by the Trump administration, Google fought a gag order this year on a subpoena to turn over data on the emails of four New York Times reporters. Google argued that its contract as The Times’ corporate email provider required it to inform the newspaper of any government requests for its emails, said Ted Boutrous, an outside lawyer for The Times.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/privacy-for-sale-as-apple-and-facebook-fight-for-consumers-354932">Privacy for sale as Apple and Facebook fight for consumers</a>

But more frequently than not, the companies comply with law enforcement demands. And that underlines an awkward truth: As their products become more central to people’s lives, the world’s largest tech companies have become surveillance intermediaries and crucial partners to authorities, with the power to arbitrate which requests to honour and which to reject.

Fred Sainz, an Apple spokesman, said in a statement that the company regularly challenged government data requests and informed affected customers as soon as it legally could.

“In this case, the subpoena, which was issued by a federal grand jury and included a nondisclosure order signed by a federal magistrate judge, provided no information on the nature of the investigation and it would have been virtually impossible for Apple to understand the intent of the desired information without digging through users’ accounts,” he said. “Consistent with the request, Apple limited the information it provided to account subscriber information and did not provide any content such as emails or pictures.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-question-google-twitter-and-others-over-auction-of-user-data-375266">US lawmakers question Google, Twitter and others over auction of user data</a>

In a statement, Microsoft said it received a subpoena in 2017 related to a personal email account. It said it notified the customer after the gag order expired and learned that the person was a congressional staff member. “We will continue to aggressively seek reform that imposes reasonable limits on government secrecy in cases like this,” the company said.

Google declined to comment on whether it received a subpoena related to the investigation on the House Intelligence Committee.

The Justice Department has not commented publicly on Apple’s turning over House Intelligence Committee records. In congressional testimony this week, Attorney General Merrick Garland sidestepped criticism of the Trump administration’s decisions and said the seizure of records was made “under a set of policies that have existed for decades.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-defense-intelligence-agency-admits-it-bought-peoples-location-data-report-358741">US Defense Intelligence Agency admits it bought people's location data: Report</a>

In the Justice Department’s leak investigation, Apple and Microsoft turned over the so-called metadata of people who worked in Congress, including phone records, device information, and addresses. It is not unusual for the Justice Department to subpoena such metadata, because the information can be used to establish whether someone had contact with a member of the media or whether the person’s work or home accounts were tied to anonymous accounts that were used to disseminate classified information.

Under the gag orders that authorities placed on the subpoenas, Apple and Microsoft also agreed to not tell those people whose information was being demanded. In Apple’s case, a yearlong gag order was renewed three separate times. That contrasted with Google, which resisted the gag order on a subpoena to turn over data on the four Times reporters.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-surveillance-of-democrats-sparks-abuse-of-power-claims-390987">Trump surveillance of Democrats sparks abuse of power claims</a>

The differing responses are largely explained by the different relationships the companies had with their customers in the case. Apple and Microsoft were ordered to hand over data related to individual accounts, while the subpoena to Google affected a corporate customer, which was governed by a contract. That contract gave Google a more specific basis on which to challenge the gag order, lawyers said.

The subpoena to Apple was also more opaque, it simply asked for information about a series of email addresses and phone numbers, and the company said it did not know it related to an investigation into Congress. For Google, it was clear that the Justice Department sought records from The Times because the email addresses were clearly those of Times reporters.

Google said it generally did not handle requests for customer information differently for individual accounts and corporate customers. But the company has a strong argument to redirect requests for data of corporate customers based on the Justice Department’s own recommendations.

In guidelines released in 2017, the Justice Department urged prosecutors to “seek data directly” from companies instead of going through a technology provider, unless doing so was impractical or would compromise the investigation. By going to Google to seize information about the reporters, the Justice Department sought to circumvent The Times. Google declined to say whether it used the Justice Department guidelines to fight the gag order.

Google said it produced some data in 83 per cent of the nearly 40,000 requests for information from US government agencies it received in the first half of 2020. By comparison, it produced some data in 39 per cent of requests for information on 398 paying corporate customers of Google Cloud, including its email and web-hosting offerings, during the same time period.

Law enforcement requests for data from American tech companies have more than doubled in recent years. Facebook said it received nearly 123,000 data requests from the US government last year, up from 37,000 in 2015.

Apple said that in the first half of 2020, it received an average of 400 requests a week for customer data from US law enforcement, more than double the rate five years prior. The company’s compliance rate has remained roughly between 80 per cent and 85 per cent for years.

Authorities are also demanding information about more accounts in each request. In the first half of 2020, each US government subpoena or warrant to Apple requested data for 11 accounts or devices on average, up from fewer than three accounts or devices in the first half of 2015, the company said.

Apple said that after the government began including more than 100 accounts in some subpoenas, as it did in the leak investigation in 2018, it asked law enforcement to limit requests to 25 accounts each. Police did not always comply, the company said.

Apple has often challenged subpoenas that included so many accounts because they were too broad, said a former senior lawyer for the company, who spoke on the condition of confidentiality. This person said that it would not have been surprising for Apple to challenge the 2018 Justice Department subpoena but that whether a request was challenged often depended on whether a paralegal handling the subpoena elevated it to more senior lawyers.

On Feb. 6, 2018, Apple received a grand jury subpoena for the names and phone records connected to 109 email addresses and phone numbers. It was one of the more than 250 data requests that the company received on average from US law enforcement each week at the time.

On Feb. 6, 2018, Apple received a grand jury subpoena for the names and phone records connected to 109 email addresses and phone numbers. It was one of the more than 250 data requests that the company received on average from US law enforcement each week at the time. An Apple paralegal complied and provided the information. This year, a gag order on the subpoena expired. Apple said it alerted the people who were the subjects of the subpoena, just as it does with dozens of customers each day. But this request was out of the ordinary. Also read | Trump officials seized Apple data of two Democratic lawmakers: New York Times Without knowing it, Apple said, it had handed over the data of congressional staffers, their families and at least two members of Congress, including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., then the House Intelligence Committee’s ranking member and now its chair. It turned out the subpoena was part of a wide-ranging investigation by the Trump administration into leaks of classified information. The revelations have now plunged Apple into the middle of a firestorm over the Trump administration’s efforts to find the sources of news stories, and the handling underscores the flood of law enforcement requests that tech companies increasingly contend with. The number of these requests has soared in recent years to thousands a week, putting Apple and other tech giants like Google and Microsoft in an uncomfortable position between law enforcement, the courts and the customers whose privacy they have promised to protect. Also read | Apple, Google and a deal that controls the internet The companies regularly comply with the requests because they are legally required to do so. The subpoenas can be vague, so Apple, Google and others are often unclear on the nature or subject of an investigation. They can challenge some subpoenas if they are too broad or if they relate to a corporate client. In the first six months of 2020, Apple challenged 238 demands from the government for its customers’ account data or 4 per cent of such requests. As part of the same leak investigation by the Trump administration, Google fought a gag order this year on a subpoena to turn over data on the emails of four New York Times reporters. Google argued that its contract as The Times’ corporate email provider required it to inform the newspaper of any government requests for its emails, said Ted Boutrous, an outside lawyer for The Times. Also read | Privacy for sale as Apple and Facebook fight for consumers But more frequently than not, the companies comply with law enforcement demands. And that underlines an awkward truth: As their products become more central to people’s lives, the world’s largest tech companies have become surveillance intermediaries and crucial partners to authorities, with the power to arbitrate which requests to honour and which to reject. Fred Sainz, an Apple spokesman, said in a statement that the company regularly challenged government data requests and informed affected customers as soon as it legally could. “In this case, the subpoena, which was issued by a federal grand jury and included a nondisclosure order signed by a federal magistrate judge, provided no information on the nature of the investigation and it would have been virtually impossible for Apple to understand the intent of the desired information without digging through users’ accounts,” he said. “Consistent with the request, Apple limited the information it provided to account subscriber information and did not provide any content such as emails or pictures.” Also read | US lawmakers question Google, Twitter and others over auction of user data In a statement, Microsoft said it received a subpoena in 2017 related to a personal email account. It said it notified the customer after the gag order expired and learned that the person was a congressional staff member. “We will continue to aggressively seek reform that imposes reasonable limits on government secrecy in cases like this,” the company said. Google declined to comment on whether it received a subpoena related to the investigation on the House Intelligence Committee. The Justice Department has not commented publicly on Apple’s turning over House Intelligence Committee records. In congressional testimony this week, Attorney General Merrick Garland sidestepped criticism of the Trump administration’s decisions and said the seizure of records was made “under a set of policies that have existed for decades.” Also read | US Defense Intelligence Agency admits it bought people's location data: Report In the Justice Department’s leak investigation, Apple and Microsoft turned over the so-called metadata of people who worked in Congress, including phone records, device information, and addresses. It is not unusual for the Justice Department to subpoena such metadata, because the information can be used to establish whether someone had contact with a member of the media or whether the person’s work or home accounts were tied to anonymous accounts that were used to disseminate classified information. Under the gag orders that authorities placed on the subpoenas, Apple and Microsoft also agreed to not tell those people whose information was being demanded. In Apple’s case, a yearlong gag order was renewed three separate times. That contrasted with Google, which resisted the gag order on a subpoena to turn over data on the four Times reporters. Also read | Trump surveillance of Democrats sparks abuse of power claims The differing responses are largely explained by the different relationships the companies had with their customers in the case. Apple and Microsoft were ordered to hand over data related to individual accounts, while the subpoena to Google affected a corporate customer, which was governed by a contract. That contract gave Google a more specific basis on which to challenge the gag order, lawyers said. The subpoena to Apple was also more opaque, it simply asked for information about a series of email addresses and phone numbers, and the company said it did not know it related to an investigation into Congress. For Google, it was clear that the Justice Department sought records from The Times because the email addresses were clearly those of Times reporters. Google said it generally did not handle requests for customer information differently for individual accounts and corporate customers. But the company has a strong argument to redirect requests for data of corporate customers based on the Justice Department’s own recommendations. In guidelines released in 2017, the Justice Department urged prosecutors to “seek data directly” from companies instead of going through a technology provider, unless doing so was impractical or would compromise the investigation. By going to Google to seize information about the reporters, the Justice Department sought to circumvent The Times. Google declined to say whether it used the Justice Department guidelines to fight the gag order. Google said it produced some data in 83 per cent of the nearly 40,000 requests for information from US government agencies it received in the first half of 2020. By comparison, it produced some data in 39 per cent of requests for information on 398 paying corporate customers of Google Cloud, including its email and web-hosting offerings, during the same time period. Law enforcement requests for data from American tech companies have more than doubled in recent years. Facebook said it received nearly 123,000 data requests from the US government last year, up from 37,000 in 2015. Apple said that in the first half of 2020, it received an average of 400 requests a week for customer data from US law enforcement, more than double the rate five years prior. The company’s compliance rate has remained roughly between 80 per cent and 85 per cent for years. Authorities are also demanding information about more accounts in each request. In the first half of 2020, each US government subpoena or warrant to Apple requested data for 11 accounts or devices on average, up from fewer than three accounts or devices in the first half of 2015, the company said. Apple said that after the government began including more than 100 accounts in some subpoenas, as it did in the leak investigation in 2018, it asked law enforcement to limit requests to 25 accounts each. Police did not always comply, the company said. Apple has often challenged subpoenas that included so many accounts because they were too broad, said a former senior lawyer for the company, who spoke on the condition of confidentiality. This person said that it would not have been surprising for Apple to challenge the 2018 Justice Department subpoena but that whether a request was challenged often depended on whether a paralegal handling the subpoena elevated it to more senior lawyers.

Tech giants are plunged into political firestorm

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