Global Scans · Apple · Weekly Summary

• Unlike the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, the app marketplace will reportedly not impose any fees on in-app purchases, offering a fee-free structure. 91mobiles.com
• Foxconn, Apple's largest iPhone manufacturer, said it is facing a shortage of AI chips for servers but expects business to be slightly better than last year. Verdict
• SynergyXR, already a leader in immersive technology with its user-centric platform, embraces the advent of Apple Vision Pro as an opportunity to further enhance its capabilities. UK Tech News
• Taiwan's Foxconn, Apple's biggest iPhone assembler and the world's largest contract electronics maker, expects its business in 2024 to be slightly better than last year but is facing a shortage of chips for AI servers. investing.com
• The Apple Vision Pro offers promises of being the gateway to spatial computing, which could be a big shift in how people use technology in the future. AppleInsider Forums
• Last year, Apple announced the release of its long-anticipated augmented reality headset, Apple Vision Pro, equipped with eye-tracking technology. Mobihealthnews
• To avoid third party app stores taking advantage of Apple's platform without Apple benefiting, developers will need to pay a Core Technology Fee once an app has been downloaded more than a million times. Engadget
• A handful of major tech companies deemed by the EU to be dominant gatekeepers, including Apple, will have to implement new platform rules in 2024. CNN
• Apple has officially announced that it will allow iOS app distribution outside the App Store and payments outside the App Store in the EU after being designated as a gatekeeper under the EU's Digital Markets Act. GIGAZINE
• Apple will be hoping that more app developers put out dedicated versions of their apps for the Vision Pro in the future: the likes of Netflix are currently holding back because it's going to take a while for the Vision Pro to make it to the mainstream. TechRadar
• Even though Apple is promising a million apps available on the Vision Pro at launch, most of them will not be written specifically for visionOS or 'Spatial Computing'. TechRadar
• Apple device users in the EU will be able to choose their default web browsers and contactless payments apps, meaning they could make contactless payments without using the Apple Pay system. Devdiscourse
• From early March, developers will be able to offer alternative app stores on iPhones and opt out of using Apple's in-app payment system, which charges commissions of up to 30%. Devdiscourse
• Apple will still enforce a review process for apps that do not come through its store, but it will be focused on platform integrity and protecting users from things like malware. Engadget
• Developers will be able to use third-party payment providers inside apps offered by the Apple App Store for free, and will pay a reduced commission of up to 17% for in-app goods and services. Wired
• Apple says the new built-in experiences will be able to use its in-app purchase system for the first time (like easily buying a subscription to a specific mini-game or chatbot). Engadget
• The slow and steady AI efforts from Apple will have enormous ripple effects, putting AI in the face of nearly 1.5 billion iPhone users when deployed. Gizmodo
• Companies like Apple and Samsung are working on technology that will allow users to track their blood sugar levels in a non-invasive manner. Gadgets 360
• Netflix will not offer a standalone app on the Vision Pro, dealing a blow to Apple's entertainment offerings on its new headset. Gadgets 360
• Apple Pay will continue to be a broadly available option, and over 3,000 issuing banks across all EEA countries will still be able to offer the unparalleled privacy and security of Apple Pay, as well as its great user experience. Zawya

Last updated: 11 February 2024