Kara Swisher of the New York Times released an episode of her Sway podcast this week that featured an excellent interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook. It is a good listen, or if you prefer to read, the New York Times also posted a transcript. Cook discussed the App Store guidelines and why certain apps have been rejected, privacy, social media, augmented reality (which he agreed is “a critically important part of Apple’s future”), Apple TV+, self-driving cars, voting rights, the LGBTQ community, and how much longer he sees himself at Apple. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- Ivan Mehta of TNW reports that an iPhone app can predict COVID-19 with 80% accuracy just by using your voice.
- Once you get the COVID-19 vaccine, you want everyone around you to have the vaccine as well in order to start the return to “normal” life. Geoffrey Fowler of the Washington Post reports that some states are looking at creating a digital vaccine passport app that you can use to show that you are vaccinated before you enter a location, such as a sporting arena. Fowler takes a look at the State of New York’s app, called Excelsior Pass.
- It’s often fun to look at prototypes of future technology, even if you are Steve Jobs. As Luke Dormehl of Cult of Mac reports, a new book by Naz Beheshti — who was an executive assistant to Steve Jobs in 1999 — reveals that when Steve Jobs wanted to unwind, he would hang out in Jony Ive’s office and play with the mockups and models of possible future projects.
- Tweetbot, an excellent Twitter client, was updated to version 6 this week. Juli Clover of MacRumors describes what is new in Tweetbot 6.
- British GQ came up with a list of the “48 best iPhone and iPad apps for everything,” and there are lots of great picks on that list.
- José Adorno of 9to5Mac explains how Apple substantially increased the number of games available in its Apple Arcade service by expanding the types of games included. For example, Apple has brought back some great classic apps.
- Julie Strietelmeier of The Gadgeteer discusses SkyFloat, a telescoping pole that attaches via magnets to your ceiling and holds an iPhone or iPad so that your device can float in the air.
- Jason Cross of Macworld describes some of the new shows and new seasons coming soon to Apple TV+. I’m looking forward to the second season of Mythic Quest, and a bonus episode called “Everlight” is being released on April 16. I’m also looking forward to Season 2 of Trying, which starts May 14. And this Fall, Apple TV+ will debut a new current-affairs show featuring Jon Stewart called The Problem with Jon Stewart. (Great title.)
- And finally, the Wall Street Journal created a video to explore the features that could be included in an upcoming Apple Car, and they came up with a fun way to do it, hiring someone to create a “car” out of iPhone parts.