Alchemy by Leban Hyde | UX + Branding

It’s Tuesday afternoon and it still feels like Monday morning. I’ve struggled all weekend long to pull this issue together — but not for a lack of content. Plenty of Apple news from last week, with an antitrust lawsuit taking the main headline. There’s lots to unpack, so let’s jump in!

Week 12 (03/17–03/23)

Apple logo with a judge's gavel across it

Apple… was sued by the US Department of Justice in an antitrust lawsuit. Blocking super apps, suppressing streaming services, and excluding cross-platform messaging were among the top complaints. This in addition to the EU’s Digital Marketing Act may signal a new era for Apple. For a brief explainer, watch this. For a deeper dive, listen to this.

Glassdoor… began attaching real names to anonymous accounts — without consent. The job review site that was built on the premise of anonymity has seemingly reversed course, adding personal identifiable information (PII) to user profiles. For those who have provided negative feedback on current or former employers, this is a big deal (check the recent App Store reviews)!

Also, Apple… is in negotiations with Google to bring Gemini AI to iPhone. Apple could use Gemini as the cloud-based engine to power Siri and other apps while using its own models for on-device tasks. The deal could also draw further scrutiny from regulators looking to break up monopolies (see above story).

Microsoft… held its 2024 Surface (and AI) event — a recap. The company announced the next Surface Pro tablet, adaptive accessories for accessibility, and — of course — its further commitment to Copilot AI. While it’s disappointing to see Microsoft kill support for Android apps on Windows, I’m still interested in seeing how mobile considerations (via tablets) will fare.

Lastly, Apple… began rolling out iOS and iPadOS 17.4.1 to the public. Being intentionally vague with the details, the company on disclosed that the update provided important bug fixes and security updates. So, security patch it is! Needless to say, it’s recommended to do it now (got mine Friday).


Exhale… 😮‍💨

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