Apple News
Apple tests ‘deep red’ color for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
According to recent reports from Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman, Apple is currently testing and seriously considering a striking new deep red finish — described as a rich, premium burgundy-like tone — for its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max lineup.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are popular models because of their new industrial design and improved internals, but the Cosmic Orange color also has helped fuel sales. I have one in this color myself, and it’s awesome. I’m glad I picked it over one of the more muted tones. The color has also apparently been a strong driver of interest in the all-important China market, with some there comparing it to the classic Hermès orange hue. The two orange shades are actually quite different, but Apple should probably take the perceived resemblance as a compliment.
That’s why it’s so interesting that Apple is now considering a deep red color for its next lineup. Given the success of orange, I wouldn’t be surprised if the company keeps that option around and just adds the red as an additional choice. But red and orange might be a little too close on the color wheel to have both. We’ll see how this plays out exactly, but I can at least tell you that, as of now, red is the new flagship color in testing for the next iPhone Pros.
MacDailyNews Take: As for the foldable iPhone, Gruman reports that it’s likely to offer the options Apple used during the early days of the iPhone, “some sort of dark gray or black and a variation of a white or light silver.”
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New research: Apple stock could be safe harbor from AI bubble fears
Apple is taking a distinct path from many other tech stocks. The major risks tied to the AI boom appear largely irrelevant to the company. Bolstered by robust revenue growth reported in January and upcoming new product launches in March, Apple’s outlook remains promising and potentially very bright.
Ben Gran for The Motley Fool:
New research from Bloomberg shows that Apple stock is becoming less correlated with the Nasdaq-100 index, reaching its lowest level of correlation since 2006. That means Apple’s performance is becoming less like that of other tech companies. If other tech stocks go down, Apple might go up — and could be a safer choice if you’re worried about a possible AI stock bubble or the recent AI-driven tech stock sell-off.
Investors have been driven by two conflicting narratives about tech stocks in the past few months. The first: Investors are concerned that major AI companies like Microsoft are over-investing in AI data centers and digital infrastructure. The second: Investors are selling software stocks in fear that AI will replace or disrupt most software as a service (SaaS) companies.
Apple seems to be avoiding this entire debate… Although the company faces a few AI-related risks, such as its struggles to create an effective new AI-powered Siri, Apple might be immune to the current AI stock volatility.
Instead of worrying about AI, Apple seems focused on its core business of selling products — and business is good… New products are in the pipeline, too.
MacDailyNews Take: Yup.
As we wrote last month, “Apple and, indeed, the entire U.S. economy, are primed to roar in 2026!”
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Apple’s App Store growth is reaccelerating – Morgan Stanley
Apple’s App Store revenue growth is accelerating in February, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring.
Woodring noted in a Monday research note that month-to-date net revenue is up 9% year-over-year — marking a 230 basis point (bps) acceleration from January’s pace, aided by an easier year-over-year comparison of 700 bps.
Woodring added that quarter-to-date revenue is now growing 7.5%, which trails the firm’s +8.0% year-over-year forecast for the full March quarter by just 50 bps.
Sam Boughedda for Investing.com:
The bank said growth should remain on track as long as March follows its usual trend.
“March quarter App Store revenue would end the quarter in line with our +8% Y/Y forecast if March revenue grows in line with T3Y seasonal average of 10% M/M,” Woodring wrote.
The bank kept its March-quarter App Store growth and Services growth forecasts unchanged at 8 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively.
Morgan Stanley said the acceleration is broad-based across major markets. China’s App Store is growing 4 percent year-over-year after a decline in January, while the U.S. is rising 3 percent, a 40-basis-point improvement. Japan is down 1 percent, while the rest of the world is seeing 22 percent growth.
The analysts also cited rising Mac lead times, noting they have “quickly inflected to multi-year highs” due to demand for the on-device AI tool OpenClaw.
MacDailyNews Take: More good news for Apple’s Mac and Services categories and, of course, for AAPL investors!
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Apple’s three-day product blitz: New launches expected March 2-4
Apple is gearing up for a three-day rollout of new product unveilings, with announcements scheduled for Monday (March 2), Tuesday (March 3), and Wednesday (March 4). The final day will feature a “special Apple Experience” event, where select press will be invited to hands-on sessions at locations in New York, London, and Shanghai.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
I’m told Apple will introduce at least five products. They could span hardware, software and chips. A new low-cost MacBook will very likely be one of the introductions. After all, the invitation includes the colors the device will launch in. Apple also wouldn’t offer hands-on time unless there was a new design to show off. And this laptop is the only thing in Apple’s imminent pipeline that actually looks new. It’s not worth flying in so-called influencers to try out a product if the only difference is a faster chip.
The other devices due to arrive sometime in spring 2026: the iPhone 17e, iPad Air with an M4 chip, an entry-level iPad with the A18 processor, upgraded MacBook Pro models and a new MacBook Air. The 17e is also a certainty for the March launch, if it doesn’t debut even sooner (its predecessor, the 16e, was released in mid-February 2025). I’d bet that we’re going to see the MacBook Pros or MacBook Airs — if not both. The Pro is overdue by months, and this is generally when new MacBook Airs come out. The iPads are ready too from a manufacturing standpoint.
There are two other Mac-related products expected in the first half of 2026: refreshed Mac Studio desktops and a new Apple Studio Display. The Studio Displays are already ready to ship, and the Mac Studios are not far behind…
Sources at multiple retail stores also tell me that inventory of the following products has dried up, affirming that they’ll soon be replaced: the iPhone 16e, iPad Air, 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Airs, 14-inch and 16-inch M4 Pro, and M4 Max MacBook Pros.
MacDailyNews Take: Upcoming MacBook Pro models (14-inch and 16-inch) are expected to feature M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, representing a major performance upgrade over the current M4 Pro/Max lineup. For the MacBook Air (13-inch and 15-inch), the refresh is slated to include the base M5 chip for improved efficiency and AI capabilities, likely part of the same early March multi-day rollout, while exterior case design remains unchanged.
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Apple TV celebrates season two premiere of hit drama ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’
On Thursday, February 19, Apple TV celebrated the highly anticipated second season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” with a star-studded red carpet premiere event at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Hailing from Legendary Television and expanding the Monsterverse, season two unleashes Kong, Godzilla and the debut of “Titan X,” and reunites stars Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, and Anders Holm. The 10-episode second season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” will premiere globally on Apple TV on Friday, February 27, 2026 with the first episode, followed by one episode every Friday until May 1, 2026.
Attendees at the “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” red carpet premiere included series stars Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Sawai, Clemons, Watabe, Yamamoto, Tippett, Holm and Amber Midthunder, as well as executive producers Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell, among others.
Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell attend the season two premiere of the Apple TV series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on February 19. Season two debuts globally on Apple TV on Friday February 27, 2026.
Season one of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” tracks two siblings looking to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Colonel Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), both in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows.
Anna Sawai attends the season two premiere of the Apple TV series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on February 19.
Season two will pick up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance. The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea. The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe — all with the threat of a titan event on the horizon. As previously announced, season two will feature Kong and Godzilla, and introduce a new Titan: the enigmatic Titan X that is now officially on the loose. Titan X isn’t just another monster; it’s a living cataclysm. When its massive bioluminescent form breaks the surface of the ocean, the world seems to hold its breath. In “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” season two, Titan X stands at the center of the mystery — an ancient force emerging from the deep, its purpose uncertain, its power unmatched, its awe and terror in equal measure. New season two guest stars include Takehiro Hira, Amber Midthunder, Curtiss Cook, Cliff Curtis, Dominique Tipper and Camilo Jiménez Varón.
Mari Yamamoto attends the season two premiere of the Apple TV series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on February 19.
Hailing from Legendary Television, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” is executive produced by Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, alongside Chris Black, Jen Roskind, Matt Shakman and Lawrence Trilling, who also directs four episodes, as well as Andrew Colville, who writes two episodes and serves as executive producer. Black serves as showrunner on season two. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character. Toho licensed the rights for “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” to Legendary as a natural byproduct of their long-term relationship with the film franchise. Apple TV has a multiseries deal with Legendary Entertainment, which includes the second season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” and multiple spinoff series based on the franchise.
Catch up on the first season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” streaming globally on Apple TV.
In addition to “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” Apple TV recently announced plans for multiple series set within the Monsterverse, featuring both new and fan-favorite Titans. The first spinoff is a thrilling, new, untitled Young Lee Shaw prequel with Wyatt Russell executive producing and reprising his role as Colonel Lee Shaw. The prequel will be showrun and executive produced by Emmy Award nominee Harold. The expansion of Legendary’s entire Monsterverse franchise on Apple TV will be overseen by Harold under a newly announced overall deal with Legendary.
Legendary’s Monsterverse is an expansive, cross-platform story universe centering around humanity’s battle to survive in a world facing a catastrophic new reality — the monsters of our myths and legends are real. Beginning with the “Godzilla” film in 2014 and continuing through 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island,” 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong” and, most recently, the record-breaking “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the franchise’s highest-grossing installment and the highest-grossing “Godzilla” film of all time, along with the eagerly anticipated sequel “Godzilla x Kong: Supernova,” which is set to release in 2027, the Monsterverse has accumulated over $2.5B at the global box office and expanded into the highly successful series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” for Apple TV. Including an interconnected world of video games, graphic novels, toys and live experiences, the Monsterverse represents epic entertainment on the largest possible scale.
Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 704 wins and 3,259 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
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Apple TV unveils first look at season two of ‘Wonder Pets: In the City,’ premiering March 20th
Apple TV on Monday shared a sneak peek at season two of “Wonder Pets: In the City,” the colorful series that follows Izzy the Guinea Pig, Zuri the Bunny and Tate the Snake as they embark on all-new curiosity-driven adventures that celebrate friendship and our unique differences. Produced by Nickelodeon Animation and developed by Emmy Award winner Jennifer Oxley, the new season is set to debut on March 20, 2026.
“Wonder Pets: In the City” season two sees the return of the heroic trio of classroom pets who live in a kindergarten in New York City and travel all around the globe in their amazing “Jetcar” to rescue animals in musical, mini-opera-themed adventures. When the going gets tough, Izzy, Tate and Zuri always remember to combine their talents and abilities and work together to save the day — because together, there’s nothing they can’t do!
Produced by Nickelodeon Animation, “Wonder Pets: In the City” is developed by Emmy Award winner Oxley, who serves as executive producer alongside Steve Altiere and Grammy and Emmy Award-winning co-executive producer Jeffrey Lesser. The series features the voice talents of Victoria Scola-Giampapa as Izzy, Vanessa Huszar as Zuri, and Christopher Sean Cooper Jr. as Tate.
This music-forward series also features Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning composers, including Bobby Lopez, Jason Robert Brown, Georgia Stitt, Matthew Sklar, Larry Hochman, Zina Goldrich and Natsumi Osawa, and is accompanied by the FILMharmonic Orchestra.
The exciting slate of recent offerings for kids and families on Apple TV features the latest family musical specials “Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical” and “Lulu Is a Rhinoceros,” based on the beloved children’s book of the same name by father-daughter duo Jason and Allison Flom; the music-driven animated comedy series “BE@RBRICK” from DreamWorks Animation; “Goldie,” inspired by Emily Brundige’s award-winning 2019 short film of the same name; Peanuts series “Camp Snoopy”; the second season of beloved animated series “Frog and Toad,” based on the Caldecott and Newbery Honor-winning books; and “Me,” an elevated cinematic coming-of-age story from Barry L. Levy.
Award-winning all-ages offerings now streaming globally on Apple TV also include the BAFTA Award and Emmy Award-winning live-action animated hybrid special “The Velveteen Rabbit,” BAFTA Award and Humanitas Prize-winning “El Deafo,” BAFTA Award-winning “Lovely Little Farm,” “Duck & Goose,” “Get Rolling With Otis,” Spin Master Entertainment’s “Sago Mini Friends,” GLAAD Media Award-nominated “Pinecone & Pony,” The Jim Henson Company’s Emmy Award-winning “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock,” “Harriet the Spy” and “Slumberkins,” Sesame Workshop’s “Helpsters,” Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HITRECORD and Bento Box Entertainment’s “Wolfboy and the Everything Factory,” Jack McBrayer and Angela C. Santomero’s Emmy Award-nominated “Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show,” Peanuts and WildBrain’s Emmy Award-nominated “Snoopy in Space,” “The Snoopy Show,” and Peabody and Emmy Award-winning series “Stillwater” from Gaumont and Scholastic Entertainment. Live-action offerings include Bonnie Hunt’s DGA and WGA Award-nominated “Amber Brown,” DGA Award-winning “Best Foot Forward,” “Surfside Girls,” WGA Award-winning “Life By Ella,” Sesame Workshop and Sinking Ship’s Emmy Award-winning “Ghostwriter,” Emmy Award and Environmental Media Association Award-winning “Jane,” and Scholastic’s “Puppy Place.”
Also featured are “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” the Emmy Award-winning television event based on the New York Times bestselling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers, and specials from Peanuts and WildBrain including Emmy Award-nominated “Snoopy Presents: It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown,” “Snoopy Presents: Lucy’s School,” Humanitas Prize and Emmy Award-nominated “Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love,” “Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie,” “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin,” Emmy Award-winning “Snoopy Presents: Who Are You, Charlie Brown?” and “Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne.”
Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 704 wins and 3,259 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning, history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
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Visual Intelligence expected to define Apple’s push into AI wearables
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been dropping hints about a potential third major product category: AI-powered wearables centered on Visual Intelligence, Apple’s AI technology that analyzes the surrounding environment via cameras and uses that context to enable intelligent actions.
Introduced on the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024 under the Apple Intelligence umbrella, Visual Intelligence currently allows users to photograph or screenshot something and query it (via ChatGPT integration) or perform a Google reverse image search for identification. According to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman, Apple is now developing its own advanced visual models to make this core to upcoming devices, including enhanced AirPods with cameras, smart glasses, and a wearable pendant (equipped with computer vision sensors for always-on environmental awareness).
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
As for what these cameras will enable, the most basic applications could involve taking a plate of food and identifying the items and ingredients. More advanced uses include the device giving specific instructions for conducting a task based on what it sees. That might mean upgraded turn-by-turn directions, with the device telling a user to go past a specific landmark — rather than just a certain number of feet. The technology also could remind users to do something when they walk up to a certain object or place.
Cook gave an early hint at his interest in the technology on the company’s holiday quarter earnings call. During a discussion about AI and Apple Intelligence, he singled out Visual Intelligence.
“One of our most popular features is Visual Intelligence, which helps users learn and do more than ever with the content on their iPhone screen, making it faster to search, take action and answer questions across their apps,” he said.
In a recent all-hands meeting with employees, Cook said that Apple “unquestionably” has a “huge advantage” in the AI space, touting the company’s installed base of 2.5 billion. He mentioned Apple Intelligence again and gave a shoutout to one specific feature. You guessed it: Visual Intelligence.
This was no accident. To date, Apple has done little in visual AI other than create a wrapper for OpenAI and Google technologies. Yet Cook is touting this capability as central to Apple’s AI strategy. He wouldn’t be putting it at the forefront of his remarks if things weren’t going to accelerate in that area soon.
MacDailyNews Take:
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Apple TV sets new drama series ‘Unconditional’ to premiere May 8th
Apple TV on Monday announced it has landed Keshet 12’s new drama series “Unconditional,” from co-creators Adam Bizanski (“Magpie”) and Dana Idisis (“On the Spectrum”), with Keshet International. Produced by Spiro Films and starring Liraz Chamami (“Bad Boy,” “Manayek”) alongside newcomer Talia Lynne Ronn, the eight-episode thriller will make its global debut on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Friday, May 8, 2026, followed by new episodes every Friday through June 19. The thriller will premiere in Israel on Keshet 12 in April.
“Unconditional” follows a mother-daughter vacation-turned-nightmare when 23-year-old Gali (Ronn) is arrested for drug smuggling in Moscow. Her mother, Orna (Chamami), refuses to accept the charges — but her fight for Gali’s freedom pulls her into a deadly web of crime and corruption.
In addition to Ronn and Chamami, the ensemble cast includes French-Israeli singer-songwriter Amir Haddad (“La Belle et Le Boulanger”), Yossi Marshek (“Yellow Peppers,” “Manpower”), Evgenia Dodina (“Invisible,” “Virgins”) and Vladimir Friedman (“Bad Boy”).
“Unconditional” is written by Bizanski and directed by Johnathan Gurfinkel (“The Accursed”). The series is produced for Keshet 12 by Spiro Films’ Eitan Mansuri and Jonathan Doweck (“No Man’s Land,” “When Heroes Fly”), who also executive produce alongside Bizanski, Idisis, Keshet Media Group’s Avi Nir, Keshet International’s Keren Shahar, and Keshet 12’s Karni Ziv, Yuval Horowitz and Eze Sakson. Keshet International is the international distributor for “Unconditional.”
“Unconditional” joins Apple Originals from Keshet International, including “Echo 3,” Keshet Studios’ English-language remake of “When Heroes Fly,” and “Suspicion,” the remake of “False Flag” from Keshet UK.
Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 704 wins and 3,259 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
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President Trump raises global U.S. import tariff to 15%
President Donald Trump announced Saturday he is raising a global U.S. import tariff to 15% after a ruling this week by the Supreme Court.
Greg Norman-Diamond for Fox Business:
In a 6-3 decision Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the president’s authority to issue sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In response, Trump announced a 10% global tariff, citing a different law.
“It is my Great Honor to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a Global 10% Tariff on all Countries, which will be effective almost immediately,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday evening.
The order was issued under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and applies in addition to the standard tariffs that are already in place, the president announced during a White House press briefing Friday afternoon.
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
MacDailyNews Take: Of course, U.S. import tariffs significantly impact Apple primarily by increasing costs on imported components and finished products (like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks), which are largely manufactured in China and other Asian countries.
Trump’s increase of the global import tariff from 10% to 15% represents a continued push to address perceived trade imbalances, using authority under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling limiting other tariff powers.
The move applies broadly to imports from most countries, though certain exemptions exist for key goods, and remains temporary (up to 150 days) unless extended by Congress.
There are multiple potential avenues for continuing or replacing the Section 122 tariffs after their 150-day limit (ending around late July 2026), as Congress is unlikely to extend them due to political opposition and procedural hurdles.
The Trump administration views the current 15% global tariff as a temporary “bridge” to allow time for launching investigations and imposing more durable tariffs under other authorities, primarily:
• Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which targets unfair trade practices (e.g., intellectual property theft or discriminatory policies) and has been used extensively in the past for country- or sector-specific duties after investigations by the U.S. Trade Representative.
• Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, for national security-based tariffs (already applied to items like steel, aluminum, and potentially autos), which could be expanded or adjusted following reviews.
Trump has stated that during the coming months, the administration will “determine and issue the new and legally permissible Tariffs,” with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent describing Section 122 as a short-term measure to maintain revenue while studies under Sections 301 and 232 proceed.
There are several theoretical workarounds, like letting the tariffs lapse and re-declaring a new balance-of-payments “emergency” under Section 122 to restart the clock. This could face legal challenges, but, importantly, isn’t explicitly prohibited by the statute.
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President Trump imposes new 10% global U.S. import tariff
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate President Donald Trump’s broad import tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the president vowed to pursue alternative measures to maintain the import duties he views as critical to his economic and foreign policy goals.
On Friday, Trump announced plans to introduce a flat 10% tariff on imports from foreign countries in the near term. He also stated that he would launch multiple trade investigations, which could pave the way for implementing much more enduring tariffs.
Kate Sullivan for Bloomberg News:
The president has credited his tariff regime for driving substantial investments in the U.S. and preventing foreign conflicts.
“The Supreme Court did not overrule tariffs, they merely overruled a particular use of IEEPA tariffs,” Trump told reporters, referencing the emergency authorities that the high court found illegal. “Now I’m going to go in a different direction, probably the direction that I should have gone the first time.”
Trump said he would pursue the baseline duty under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which grants the president unilateral ability to impose tariffs. But the untested legal provision puts a 150-day limit on how long the duties can remain in place. Trump said he expected the new baseline rate to go into effect “three days from now.”
A White House official later said that the 10% rate would apply to all countries with trade agreements while new tariff authorities are worked out.
Bond yields pared an earlier advance and stocks extended gains after Trump announced the plan for a 10% duty…
Trump also said existing tariffs under Section 301 and Section 232 would remain in place and vowed to launch additional investigations. The president has previously used those measures to levy Chinese exports, automobiles and metals. He suggested that those investigations could be carried out while the 10% baseline was in place, and eventually replace the flate rate — though he declined to rule out whether he might also seek an extension of the Section 122 levies. Trump said he was eyeing tariffs on foreign cars ranging from 15% to 30%.
The president’s plan to impose a 10% global duty could lift the average US effective tariff rate to 16.5% from 13.6%, or lower it to 11.4% if current exemptions are maintained, Bloomberg Economics estimated…
“Foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years are ecstatic. They’re so happy, and they’re dancing in the streets — but they won’t be dancing for long,” Trump said.
Daniel Flatley for Bloomberg News:
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that revenue collected from tariffs will be “virtually unchanged” in 2026, despite Friday’s Supreme Court ruling, as President Donald Trump uses alternate authorities to impose duties.
“This administration will invoke alternative legal authorities to replace the IEEPA tariffs,” Bessent said…
Bessent said that the Trump administration will use other mechanisms to replace the measures, including authorities granted by Congress known as Section 122, 232 and 301 authorities.
“Treasury’s estimates show that the use of Section 122 authority, combined with potentially enhanced Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs will result in virtually unchanged tariff revenue in 2026,” he said in prepared remarks to the Economic Club of Dallas.
Answering questions after the speech, he underscored, that “no one should expect that the tariff revenue will go down.”
MacDailyNews Take: Basically, just as we reported this morning when the SCOTUS ruling was posted: SCOTUS strikes down IEEPA tariffs; President Trump expected to pivot to proven trade laws like 232 and 301.
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BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Vanguard, and Soros Fund Management up Apple stakes
According to recent regulatory filings, during the fourth quarter several large asset managers added Apple shares. BlackRock increased its stake in Apple by 8.3 million shares, bringing its total holdings to 1.15 billion shares — valued at approximately $313.9 billion. Apple now accounts for about 5.31% of BlackRock’s overall portfolio.
GuruFocus:
Morgan Stanley also increased exposure, holding more than 230 million shares worth $62.7 billion. Apple remains its largest position at 3.74% portfolio weight.
Vanguard Group expanded its holdings to 1.43 billion shares valued at $387.75 billion. Apple ranks second among its top positions at 5.62%. Goldman Sachs lifted its stake by 3% to over 99 million shares worth $26.9 billion, making it the firm’s second-largest holding at 3.3%.
Soros Fund Management added 16% to its Apple position, bringing holdings to about 416,000 shares valued near $108 million.
MacDailyNews Take: Smart moves. As we wrote last month, “Apple and, indeed, the entire U.S. economy, are primed to roar in 2026!”
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Apple TV sets March 4th premiere for French thriller ‘The Hunt’ (Traqués) following plagiarism probe and three-month delay
Apple TV has announced a new release date for the French-language drama series “The Hunt” (“Traqués”), which will now debut globally on March 4th. The six-episode thriller, produced by Gaumont, was originally scheduled to premiere on December 3, 2025, but was abruptly pulled from the schedule just weeks before launch amid allegations of plagiarism. That’s all been taken care of now.
The delay stemmed from claims that the series — initially presented as an original work by creator, writer, and director Cédric Anger — closely mirrored the plot of Douglas Fairbairn’s 1973 novel Shoot, which had previously been adapted into a 1976 feature film of the same name. French media reports first highlighted the similarities, prompting Gaumont to launch an internal investigation into the intellectual property concerns.
Following the review, the project has moved forward with updated credits acknowledging its basis in the existing novel. “The Hunt” is now described as “a series by Anger based on the novel Shoot by Douglas Fairbairn, which was first adapted into a feature film of the same name, directed by Harvey Hart from a screenplay by Richard Berg.”
“The Hunt” follows a group of hunters who suddenly become the hunted, delivering high-stakes suspense in a remote forest setting:
Franck (Benoît Magimel) and his longtime friends enjoy spending their weekends hunting together, but one Sunday, they come across another group of hunters who start targeting them without explanation. When one of their party is shot, Franck’s friends strike back, sending an attacker to the ground. Barely managing to escape, the four friends keep the event a secret. Franck tries to go back to his life as usual alongside his wife Krystel (Mélanie Laurent), but in the next few days, he starts to feel like he and his friends are being watched, or worse, tracked by hunters who are now hell-bent on revenge. – Apple TV
The resolution allows Apple TV to add the series to its March lineup, joining other international originals on the platform. No further details on episode rollout (e.g., whether it will drop all at once or weekly) have been specified yet.
MacDailyNews Take: Locked and loaded!
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OpenAI reportedly developing AI-powered hardware lineup, starting with $200–$300 smart speaker featuring built-in camera
OpenAI is pushing into the consumer hardware space with a dedicated team of more than 200 people working on a family of AI-powered devices, according to a new report from The Information.
The first product slated for release is a smart speaker equipped with a camera, priced between $200 and $300, though it is not expected to ship until at least February 2027.
The smart speaker will use its onboard camera to gather visual and contextual information about users and their environments — such as identifying objects on a nearby table or picking up on nearby conversations — to enable more proactive and intelligent interactions. Additional features could include facial recognition similar to Apple’s Face ID, allowing users to authenticate purchases or personalize experiences securely.
The broader device family may also include smart glasses (potentially not ready for mass production until 2028) and a smart lamp, though prototypes exist for the latter and its commercial release remains uncertain. These efforts build on OpenAI’s recent $6.5 billion acquisition of io Products, the startup led by former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive, aimed at bringing premium hardware design to AI experiences.
The move positions OpenAI to compete in the growing market for physical AI and augmented reality devices. Meta has already found success with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which integrate cameras for recording, photography, and content streaming. Meanwhile, Apple and Google are also reportedly developing their own smart glasses initiatives.
OpenAI has not yet commented publicly on the report, and the plans remain in early stages with timelines subject to change.The developments highlight the accelerating race among major tech players to bridge AI software with purpose-built hardware, potentially redefining how consumers interact with generative AI in everyday settings.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple had better get a move on.
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SCOTUS strikes down IEEPA tariffs; President Trump expected to pivot to proven trade laws like 232 and 301
On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump exceeded his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs, holding that the law’s language to “regulate… importation” does not encompass tariffs or duties, as it lacks explicit authorization for such revenue-raising measures.
The decision applies only to IEEPA-based tariffs (invalidating a significant portion of those imposed since April 2025), leaving other statutory authorities intact and emphasizing that Congress must clearly delegate tariff powers with limits and procedures.
Trump administration officials have indicated they plan to pivot to these alternatives to reinstate or impose similar tariffs.
UPDATE: 1:45pm ET
President Trump has responded to the SCOTUS ruling via TRUTH Social:
The Supreme Court’s Ruling on TARIFFS is deeply disappointing! I am ashamed of certain Members of the Court for not having the Courage to do what is right for our Country. I would like to thank and congratulate Justices Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh for your Strength, Wisdom, and Love of our Country, which is right now very proud of you. When you read the dissenting opinions, there is no way that anyone can argue against them. Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for years are ecstatic, and dancing in the streets — But they won’t be dancing for long! The Democrats on the Court are thrilled, but they will automatically vote “NO” against ANYTHING that makes America Strong and Healthy Again. They, also, are a Disgrace to our Nation. Others think they’re being “politically correct,” which has happened before, far too often, with certain Members of this Court when, in fact, they’re just FOOLS and “LAPDOGS” for the RINOS and Radical Left Democrats and, not that this should have anything to do with it, very unpatriotic, and disloyal to the Constitution. It is my opinion that the Court has been swayed by Foreign Interests, and a Political Movement that is far smaller than people would think — But obnoxious, ignorant, and loud!
This was an important case to me, more as a symbol of Economic and National Security, than anything else. The Good News is that there are methods, practices, Statutes, and other Authorities, as recognized by the entire Court and Congress, that are even stronger than the IEEPA TARIFFS, available to me as President of the United States of America and, in actuality, I was very modest in my “ask” of other Countries and Businesses because I wanted to do nothing that could sway the decision that has been rendered by the Court.
I have very effectively utilized TARIFFS over the past year to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Our Stock Market has just recently broken the 50,000 mark on the DOW and, simultaneously, 7,000 on the S&P, two numbers that everybody thought, upon our Landslide Election Victory, could not be attained until the very end of my Administration — Four years! TARIFFS have, likewise, been used to end five of the eight Wars that I settled, have given us Great National Security and, together with our Strong Border, reduced Fentanyl coming into our Country by 30%, when I use them as a penalty against Countries illegally sending this poison to us. All of those TARIFFS remain, but other alternatives will now be used to replace the ones that the Court incorrectly rejected.
To show you how ridiculous the opinion is, the Court said that I’m not allowed to charge even $1 DOLLAR to any Country under IEEPA, I assume to protect other Countries, not the United States which they should be interested in protecting — But I am allowed to cut off any and all Trade or Business with that same Country, even imposing a Foreign Country destroying embargo, and do anything else I want to do to them — How nonsensical is that? They are saying that I have the absolute right to license, but not the right to charge a license fee. What license has ever been issued without the right to charge a fee? But now the Court has given me the unquestioned right to ban all sorts of things from coming into our Country, a much more powerful Right than many people thought we had.
Our Country is the “HOTTEST” anywhere in the World, but now, I am going in a different direction, which is even stronger than our original choice. As Justice Kavanaugh wrote in his Dissent:
“Although I firmly disagree with the Court’s holding today, the decision might not substantially constrain a President’s ability to order tariffs going forward. That is because numerous other federal statutes authorize the President to impose tariffs and might justify most (if not all) of the tariffs issued in this case…Those statutes include, for example, the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Section 232); the Trade Act of 1974 (Sections 122, 201, and 301); and the Tariff Act of 1930 (Section 338).”
Thank you Justice Kavanaugh!
In actuality, while I am sure they did not mean to do so, the Supreme Court’s decision today made a President’s ability to both regulate Trade, and impose TARIFFS, more powerful and crystal clear, rather than less. There will no longer be any doubt, and the Income coming in, and the protection of our Companies and Country, will actually increase because of this decision. Based on longstanding Law and Hundreds of Victories to the contrary, the Supreme Court did not overrule TARIFFS, they merely overruled a particular use of IEEPA TARIFFS. The ability to block, embargo, restrict, license, or impose any other condition on a Foreign Country’s ability to conduct Trade with the United States under IEEPA, has been fully confirmed by this decision. In order to protect our Country, a President can actually charge more TARIFFS than I was charging in the past under the various other TARIFF authorities, which have also been confirmed, and fully allowed.
Therefore, effective immediately, all National Security TARIFFS, Section 232 and existing Section 301 TARIFFS, remain in place, and in full force and effect. Today I will sign an Order to impose a 10% GLOBAL TARIFF, under Section 122, over and above our normal TARIFFS already being charged, and we are also initiating several Section 301 and other Investigations to protect our Country from unfair Trading practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
"Effective immediately, all National Security TARIFFS, Section 232 and existing Section 301 TARIFFS, remain in place, and in full force and effect. Today I will sign an Order to impose a 10% GLOBAL TARIFF, under Section 122, over and above our normal TARIFFS already being… pic.twitter.com/B3bv5f5KW1
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 20, 2026
Here are the primary legal pathways available, based on existing trade laws:
1. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862)
Allows the President to impose tariffs or quotas on imports that threaten national security, following an investigation by the Department of Commerce (often involving the Department of Defense).
Trump used this extensively in his first term (e.g., on steel and aluminum) and has already applied it to sectors like automobiles, semiconductors, and timber in his current term, with ongoing probes into critical minerals, drones, and robotics.
No explicit rate caps, but actions must be tied to security findings; upheld by the Court in prior cases like Algonquin SNG, Inc. v. Federal Energy Administration (1976).
Investigations typically take 270 days but can be expedited.
Potential: Broad applicability, but requires evidence of security threats, opening it to legal challenges if overly expansive.
2. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. §2411)
Authorizes the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to impose tariffs in response to foreign countries’ unfair, unreasonable, or discriminatory trade practices that burden U.S. commerce.
Commonly used against China (e.g., for IP theft), with current investigations into China’s semiconductors, shipbuilding, and logistics sectors.
Explicitly allows “duties or other import restrictions.”
Process involves investigations (up to 12 months), consultations, and public hearings; no fixed rate limits, but actions must be proportionate.
Potential: Flexible for targeted retaliatory tariffs, but time-consuming and subject to WTO disputes or domestic lawsuits if procedures are skipped.
3. Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. §2251)
Provides “safeguard” tariffs or quotas to protect domestic industries from surges in imports causing serious injury, regardless of fairness.
Requires an International Trade Commission (ITC) investigation (up to 120-150 days) and findings of injury; tariffs can last up to 4 years initially, with extensions.
Explicitly references “duties” and includes safeguards like hearings.
Used sparingly (e.g., by Bush on steel in 2002).
Potential: Useful for broad import relief, but limited to injury-based cases and often leads to foreign retaliation.
4. Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. §2132)
Permits temporary import surcharges (tariffs) to address large, persistent balance-of-payments deficits or to prevent imminent dollar depreciation.
Capped at 15% and limited to 150 days without congressional approval; no investigation required.
Used by Nixon in 1971 (10% surcharge).
Potential: Quick to implement for short-term relief, but restrictive duration and scope could invite challenges if deficits aren’t clearly demonstrated.
5. Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1338)
Authorizes duties up to 50% on imports from countries imposing unreasonable burdens or discriminations against U.S. commerce, if targeted at the U.S.
No investigation needed, but untested (never invoked).
Potential: Broad for reciprocal actions, but high risk of litigation due to vagueness and lack of precedent.
6. Antidumping and Countervailing Duties (Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930)
Administered by Commerce and ITC to counter dumped (below-fair-value) or subsidized imports causing material injury.
Case-by-case, product-specific; rates calculated based on margins (no fixed caps).
Process: Petitions from industry, investigations (up to 280 days), but can be self-initiated by Commerce.
Potential: Effective for targeted protections, but slower and narrower than broad tariffs.
7. Congressional Legislation
Trump could seek new laws from Congress to explicitly authorize tariffs (e.g., via the Reciprocal Trade Act, proposed in his first term).
No procedural hurdles from the executive side, but requires bipartisan support in a divided Congress.
Potential: Most durable option, but politically challenging and time-intensive.
These alternatives generally require more procedural steps (e.g., investigations, evidence) than IEEPA, potentially delaying implementation by months, and could face new legal challenges under doctrines like major questions or nondelegation.
The ruling may lead to refunds for invalidated IEEPA tariffs (estimated at $175+ billion in revenue at risk), but the administration could offset losses by accelerating alternatives or offering credits instead.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters in January that the Treasury can easily cover any tariff refund. Trump administration officials told Reuters that they would switch to alternative tariff authorities to restore tariffs if the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs.
MacDailyNews Take: Overall, this shifts tariff policy, potentially moderating broad economic impacts while allowing more targeted measures by President Trump.
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Apple’s major Netflix-style content acquisition is a long-term winner for Apple TV
When it comes to streaming video, Netflix pioneered the winning playbook for a dominant streaming business—and its rivals have been smartly imitating those proven steps ever since.
Netflix started by licensing movies and TV shows from other providers, then boldly shifted in-house, investing heavily in original content. It has since aggressively acquired intellectual property and recruited top Hollywood talent to build a powerhouse lineup of Netflix Originals that complement its licensed library.
Now, Apple is taking a page straight out of that very Netflix playbook, making savvy moves to own key content outright and strengthen Apple TV+ for the long haul.
Danny Vena for The Motley Fool:
In a move that turned heads, Apple has acquired full ownership of Severance… The dystopian thriller is one of the most-watched programs ever on Apple TV and the most-nominated program at the 2025 Emmy Awards, bagging 27 nominations and winning eight awards. It acquired the rights from television studio Fifth Season in a deal reportedly worth $70 million. Apple is also keeping the successful creative team together, including creator, executive producer, and showrunner Dan Erikson and executive producer and director Ben Stiller.
Despite its popularity, Severance has had its share of challenges, including significant restrictions while filming during the global pandemic and a nearly nine-month shutdown courtesy of back-to-back Hollywood strikes in 2023. That caused a three-year lapse between the release of season one and season two, something Apple is looking to avoid in the future. Fans have been eager for the next chapter of the show, and reports suggest the third season could begin filming as early as this summer.
Apple has big plans for the critically acclaimed series, including producing future seasons of the hit show in-house and potentially expanding the Severance franchise. Under consideration are possible spin-offs, a prequel, and foreign versions of the show…
Apple’s move to acquire the full rights to Severance follows the playbook that Netflix has used so successfully.
MacDailyNews Take: Severance is great. The problem with so many shows from streamers today is the long, long waits between seasons. Hopefully, Apple’s acquisition can move things along. (Remember when TV series took off 3 months in the summer and then came back with 25+ episodes a year?) Granted, the quality (and length) of Severance episodes is much higher than those of a network series, but 3 years between seasons is Stranger Things bad.
As an aside, it’s unfortunate that it and Pluribus are pitted (pun intended) against each other and cancel each other out (see the 2025 Golden Globe Awards), to the benefit of yet another hospital drama that we’ve all seen a thousand time (The Pitt)’s benefit.
Many awards (like the Grammys and the Golden Globes Best Television Series – Drama category) use simple plurality voting (everyone picks one favorite; highest vote count wins).
In these systems:
• When multiple strong nominees such as Severance and Pluribus appeal to the same voter bloc (e.g., similar genres, styles, actors from the same film, or overlapping fanbases), their support gets fragmented.
• A different nominee with a more consolidated (but smaller) base, such as yet another hospital series that we’ve all seen a thousand times before like The Pitt, can slip through and win.
This is why Ranked Choice Voting is used in the Academy Awards for Best Picture. For its Best Television Series – Drama category, at least, the Golden Globes should adopt Ranked Choice Voting, Approval Voting, the Condorcet method or some other more meaningful method of voting.
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West Virginia sues Apple over iCloud’s alleged role in distribution of child sex abuse material
Apple has been hit with a lawsuit from West Virginia over its iCloud service and child sexual abuse material (CSAM), but the company’s steadfast commitment to user privacy remains a cornerstone of its approach — one that experts and advocates argue prevents far greater abuses by bad actors.
In a complaint filed on February 19, 2026, in Mason County Circuit Court, West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey accused Apple of allowing iCloud to serve as a platform for storing and distributing illegal CSAM, citing internal communications and the company’s lower volume of reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) compared to competitors like Google and Meta.
The lawsuit claims Apple prioritized privacy over aggressive content scanning, pointing to a previously reported 2020 internal message where an Apple executive described iCloud as the “greatest platform for distributing child porn” due to limited detection measures at the time. It also references Apple’s 2021 announcement of a proposed on-device scanning system (NeuralHash) for CSAM detection, which was ultimately abandoned in late 2022 amid widespread privacy backlash.Apple has long maintained that introducing broad scanning mechanisms — even for illegal content — creates inevitable vulnerabilities. Any client-side or server-side scanning system capable of detecting specific material could be repurposed or compelled for other uses, such as government surveillance, censorship, or mass data exploitation by malicious hackers. Once a technical capability exists to scan user content at scale, it becomes a prime target for bad actors seeking to access private data, impersonate users, or conduct broader attacks on privacy.
By rejecting such systems and instead implementing end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups (rolled out in December 2022), Apple ensures that user data — including photos, messages, and documents — remains inaccessible to the company itself, law enforcement without user consent, or cybercriminals who might breach servers. This architecture fundamentally limits the risk of abuse: no backdoor means no universal key that could be stolen, leaked, or demanded under legal pressure in less democratic jurisdictions.
Apple emphasized in its response to the lawsuit that it continues to innovate for safety while upholding privacy. Features like Communication Safety in Messages automatically detect and blur nudity in communications involving children, with interventions designed to protect young users without compromising overall encryption or enabling routine content inspection. The company reports detected CSAM when required by law and has built one of the most secure ecosystems in the industry.
Privacy advocates have long warned that mandatory scanning requirements or backdoors erode protections for everyone. Journalists, dissidents, domestic violence survivors, and ordinary users rely on strong encryption to safeguard sensitive information. Introducing exceptions for CSAM detection would create a precedent that weakens these safeguards, potentially enabling authoritarian regimes or cybercriminals to exploit the same mechanisms.
While the West Virginia lawsuit seeks damages and court-ordered changes to Apple’s detection practices, Apple’s position underscores a principled stance: true protection against child exploitation must not come at the cost of creating tools that bad actors could weaponize against millions of innocent users worldwide.
Apple continues to lead in device security and privacy features, balancing child safety innovations with the fundamental right to private communication in an increasingly digital world.
MacDailyNews Take: When they stoop to the Think of the Children ruse, their desperation fairly screams.
Apple iMessage service is end-to-end encrypted. Apple cannot see data sent via its iMessage service. Apple’s Advanced Data Protection for iCloud allows users to protect important iCloud data, including iCloud Backup, Photos, Notes, and more. Apple cannot see data protected by Advanced Data Protection for iCloud.
In December 2022, after much opposition, including, voluminously, from us here at MacDailyNews, Apple killed an effort to design an iCloud photo scanning tool for detecting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in the storage service.
As we wrote previously:
This sounds wonderful at first glance (everyone’s for detecting and rooting out purveyors of child pornography) and horrible once you think about it for more than a second (massive, awful potential for misuse)… It’s a huge can of worms. It’s a backdoor, plain and simple, and it neatly negates Apple’s voluminous claims of protecting users’ privacy. It doesn’t matter what they’re scanning for, because if they can scan for one thing, they can scan for anything. – MacDailyNews, August 6, 2021
Originally, Apple would use one database of hashes from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Then, after outcry, Apple changed their backdoor scanning to match “two or more child safety organizations operating in separate sovereign jurisdictions.”
Of course, Apple’s multi-country “safeguard” is no safeguard at all.
The Five Eyes (FVEY) is an intelligence alliance comprising the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. These countries are parties to the multilateral UKUSA Agreement, a treaty for joint cooperation in signals intelligence.
The FVEY further expanded their surveillance capabilities during the course of the “war on terror,” with much emphasis placed on monitoring the World Wide Web. The former NSA contractor Edward Snowden described the Five Eyes as a “supra-national intelligence organization that does not answer to the known laws of its own countries.”
Documents leaked by Snowden in 2013 revealed that the FVEY has been spying on one another’s citizens and sharing the collected information with each other in order to circumvent restrictive domestic regulations on surveillance of citizens.
Apple’s claim to backdoor scan only for CSAM was intended to be a trojan horse, introduced via the hackneyed “Think of the Children” ruse, that would be bastardized in secret for all sorts of surveillance under the guise of “safety” in the future.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” — Benjamin Franklin
The fact that Apple ever considered this travesty in the first place, much less announced and tried to implement it in the fashion they did, has damaged the company’s reputation for protecting user privacy immensely; perhaps irreparably.
Hopefully, if Apple management has any sense whatsoever, is not hopelessly compromised, and can resist whatever pressure forced them into this ill-considered abject disloyalty to customers who value their privacy and security, the company will end this disastrous scheme promptly and double-down on privacy by finally and immediately enabling end-to-end encryption of iCloud backups as a company which claims to be a champion of privacy would have done many years ago. – MacDailyNews, December 23, 2021
One year later, in December 2022, Apple did just as we advised.
MacDailyNews Note: Advanced Data Protection for iCloud offers our highest level of cloud data security and protects the majority of your iCloud data using end-to-end encryption.
If you choose to enable Advanced Data Protection, the majority of your iCloud data — including iCloud Backup, Photos, Notes, and more — is protected using end-to-end encryption. No one else can access your end-to-end encrypted data, not even Apple, and this data remains secure even in the case of a data breach in the cloud.
How to turn on Advanced Data Protection for iCloud
To turn on Advanced Data Protection, first update the iPhone, iPad, or Mac that you’re using to the latest software version.
Turning on Advanced Data Protection on one device enables it for your entire account and all your compatible devices.
On iPhone or iPad
1.Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your name, then tap iCloud.
3. Scroll down, tap Advanced Data Protection, then tap Turn on Advanced Data Protection.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to review your recovery methods and enable Advanced Data Protection.
On Mac
1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click your name, then click iCloud.
3. Click Advanced Data Protection, then click Turn On.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to review your recovery methods and enable Advanced Data Protection.
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Apple TV expands access to MLS, MLB, F1 via EverPass in bars, restaurants and casinos
Apple TV has reached an agreement with EverPass Media to expand access to its live sports content in commercial venues such as bars, restaurants, and casinos. The partnership arrives as Apple begins its inaugural U.S. season of Formula 1 rights and incorporates all MLS matches into its standard Apple TV+ offering for the first time.
Thousands of bars, restaurants, and casinos nationwide already rely on EverPass to deliver popular sports streaming packages to customers, including ESPN+, NFL Sunday Ticket, and Peacock. Through the new deal, Apple TV’s full live sports lineup — including F1, MLS, and MLB Friday Night Baseball — will now be available at no extra charge to all new and existing EverPass venues as part of their standard “EverPass Core” package.
Alex Silverman for Sports Business Journal:
MLS and Apple have said they expect to see viewership increase this season based on the decision to shutter the standalone MLS Season Pass service and move all MLS content into the main Apple TV offering. Now, the partners are hopeful it could also see more bars and restaurants screening its matches.
“I can’t understate how big of a deal that is to have that deal done with EverPass and be in all of those commercial establishments,” Apple TV Head of Production for Live Sports Royce Dickerson said during a media briefing Thursday.
Dickerson did not indicate whether MLS and Apple would continue distribution partnerships forged last season with Comcast, DirecTV, and T-Mobile in the post-Season Pass era.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple strategy of Apple TV everywhere keeps expanding!
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Apple TV partners with IMAX to bring 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship Races live to IMAX screens across America
IMAX on Thursday announced they’re working with Apple TV to bring the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship live to select IMAX locations across America. Through the first-of-its-kind collaboration, five of the most iconic Grands Prix in F1 — Miami, Monaco, Silverstone, Monza, and Austin — will be available across at least 50 IMAX locations nationwide.
Participating IMAX locations will deliver a dynamic viewing experience of Formula 1 on Apple TV, amplifying the inaugural season of Apple TV as the official U.S. broadcaster for F1.
The following Formula 1 Grands Prix races will be presented live in IMAX:
• Miami Grand Prix – May 3, 2026
• Monaco Grand Prix – June 7, 2026
• British Grand Prix (Silverstone) – July 5, 2026
• Italian Grand Prix (Monza) – September 6, 2026
• United States Grand Prix (Austin) – October 25, 2026
“F1 is a rapidly growing force in sports and culture in the US, and by bringing F1 on Apple TV live to IMAX theaters nationwide, we’re delivering the energy and excitement to even more screens in a truly immersive way,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports, and Beats, in a statement. “We’re excited to collaborate with IMAX to expand access to F1 on Apple TV and give fans across the U.S. a powerful new way to experience the speed and spectacle that the sport delivers.”
“Apple TV and Joe Kosinski’s brilliant F1: The Movie proved beyond a doubt that the speed, precision, and artistry of Formula 1 translate beautifully to the IMAX Experience, and we are very excited to further our collaboration with Apple and offer fans more of what resonated so deeply with that film by presenting live F1 races to them in IMAX,” said Jonathan Fischer, Chief Content Officer at IMAX, in a statement. “As we continue to expand our global content portfolio with awe-inspiring experiences, we look forward to working with Apple to amplify its live coverage of Formula 1 and give fans in the U.S. an all-new way to experience this fast-growing sport.”
The announcement builds on IMAX and Apple’s successful collaboration on Apple Films’ “F1: The Movie,” a Filmed for IMAX release directed by Joseph Kosinski and shot entirely using IMAX-certified digital cameras. “F1: The Movie” was the highest-grossing Hollywood release in IMAX of 2025, with $97.6 million in IMAX worldwide. To celebrate its recent nomination for Best Picture for next month’s 98th Academy Awards, IMAX recently re-released “F1: The Movie” across 50 IMAX screens in the U.S. beginning January 30. Hailing from Apple Studios, “F1: The Movie” is directed and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Joseph Kosinski, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Chad Oman.
MacDailyNews Note: Participating IMAX locations and ticket availability will be announced beginning this spring. For more information: imax.com/f1.
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The post Apple TV partners with IMAX to bring 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship Races live to IMAX screens across America appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple AirTag 4-pack hits insanely low price of $64 on Amazon
The popular 4-pack of Apple’s original AirTag item trackers is currently selling for just $64.00, or 35% off its $99 list price.
Apple’s AirTag is a small and elegantly designed accessory that helps keep track of and find the items (and pets and children) that matter most with Apple’s Find My app. Whether attached to a handbag, keys, backpack, a pet, or other items, AirTag taps into the vast, global Find My network and can help locate a lost item, all while keeping location data private and anonymous with end-to-end encryption.
Each round AirTag is small and lightweight, features precision-etched polished stainless steel, and is IP67 water- and dust-resistant. A built-in speaker plays sounds to help locate AirTag, while a removable cover makes it easy for users to replace the battery. AirTag features the same magical setup experience as AirPods — just bring AirTag close to iPhone and it will connect. Users can assign AirTag to an item and name it with a default like “Keys” or “Jacket,” or provide a custom name of their choosing.
img src=”https://macdailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/210420_airtag_12.png” alt=”With the Find My network accessory program, the vast and secure Find My network now helps users locate and keep track of even more important items in their lives using the Items tab in the Find My app.” width=”660″ height=”1323″ class=”size-full wp-image-244499″ /> With the Find My network accessory program, the vast and secure Find My network now helps users locate and keep track of even more important items in their lives using the Items tab in the Find My app.Once AirTag is set up, it will appear in the Items tab in the Find My app, where users can view the item’s current or last known location on a map. If a user misplaces their item and it is within Bluetooth range, they can use the Find My app to play a sound from the AirTag to help locate it. Users can also ask Siri to find their item, and AirTag will play a sound if it is nearby.
MacDailyNews Take: Get ’em while they last for 35% off the $99 list price here! If you’re looking for the latest and greatest, Apple’s new 2nd generation AirTag 4-pack is currently $99.00 at Amazon.
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The post Apple AirTag 4-pack hits insanely low price of $64 on Amazon appeared first on MacDailyNews.