The Mix Tape, Vol. 86
Hi, I’m Matt Tillotson and this is The Mix Tape.
This week: an experiment! It’s an all-tech version, with content intended to help you understand how to get the most from your tech—and how that tech is trying to get the most from you.
Apple’s products are what I use and what I know, so that’s mostly what you’ll find today.
Please let me know what you think. I’m considering a separate ongoing edition focused on tech.
Today:
Facebook: High BS alert
A day in the life of your data
On the iPad Pro
This week’s Apple headlines
Pool vibes
Facebook: High BS alert
When a company openly lobbies to be regulated, be on alert. Shenanigans are afoot. If the company campaigning for regulation is Facebook, well, that takes things straight to Defcon One.
Facebook wants to use regulations as a protective moat, making it harder for new entrants to dislodge them. The company, of course, would use lobbying influence to set the rules of the new game it wants to play.
But Apple is trying to head Facebook off at the pass, with changes to empower user awareness and choice when it comes to big tech’s data collection addiction.
Facebook has (really poorly) tried to move public opinion against the change. If users opt-out of tracing, Facebook can’t spy on users to deliver targeted ads:
Facebook on Monday will begin urging some iPhone and iPad users to let the company track their activity so the social media giant can show them more personalized ads.
Apple’s Tim Cook appeared on The Sway with Kara Swisher, and talked in part about new protocols in iOS 14.5 that will ask users to opt-in to ad tracking.
Cook’s response when asked by Swisher about how Apple's upcoming privacy changes will affect Facebook?
"I'm not focused on Facebook, so I don't know," Cook said.
Apple and Facebook have antithetical business models, so their battles will continue. At Apple, the product is high-margin hardware, software, and services. Apple emphasizes user privacy because it’s an advantageous market position for them, and helps justify the cost of their offerings.
At Facebook, you are the product.
It’s that simple.
A Day in the Life of Your Data
In advance of iOS 14.5, which Tim Cook said will be released in “a few weeks,” Apple published a paper called “A Day in the Life of your Data.”
The document tells the story of a man named John, who takes his daughter to the park, and shows all the ways his data is captured, catalogued, and used:
At the end of the day, a number of companies John has never interacted with, all around the world, have updated their profiles with information about him and his daughter. These companies know the location of the family’s house, the park they visited, the news websites they read, the products they browsed, the ads they watched, their purchasing habits, and the stores they visited.3,34 This data was collected and tracked across multiple apps John and his daughter used throughout the day, as well as from other sources.
The paper is informative and written in plain, non-techy language. It pours a complex subject through the filter of a relatable story, making the concepts much easier to understand.
Nice job by the Apple comms team.
On the iPad Pro
I wrote a couple of short articles about the iPad Pro this week:
I can’t quit you, iPad Pro
I left the device for about a year, but I’m coming back. Here’s why.
The essential question of the iPad Pro: 11” or 12.9”?
There are tradeoffs, but for me, one size is the clear winner.
This week’s Apple headlines
Chip delays
The tech sector is facing a silicon shortage, and Apple is feeling the crunch:
The global component shortage affecting the technology industry has now caused problems for Apple too, reportedly forcing it to delay orders for MacBook and iPad assembly.
There were persistent rumors of an Apple event, first in March, then in April, to introduce new iPads and other products. The event invites never went out. So, will Apple release new iPads with a press release, like last year, or is there a production delay?
I’m guessing the former, but inventory might be tight for quite awhile.
Meet the new iPad, same as the old iPad
Tech leaker and Apple blogger Sonny Dickson this morning shared images on Twitter showing dummy versions of the upcoming 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, and a refreshed iPad mini 6. Dummies are usually based on CAD schematics sourced from the Chinese supply chain, and are often used to aid-case makers before the official reveal.
Not a surprise that the iPad Pro casings look the same, but some people were hoping for a new design for the Mini: thinner bezels, FaceID, and other updates.
The internals on these devices (processors, RAM, potentially new screen technology, etc.) will be updated, of course. Those updates will just live inside devices with the same look and dimensions as last year.
Big savings on the Magic Keyboard
If you have an iPad now, Amazon is knocking ~$100 off the price of the Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard features a trackpad and generally gets great reviews. But at full price, it’s expensive: $299 for the 11” model, and a whopping $349 for 12.9” iPad Pros.
By the way: when we see big discounts like this, it often means a new version is imminent. Rumors persist about a new Magic Keyboard, with a bigger trackpad, coming soon. We will see.
Pool vibes
Summer is coming.
As always, thank you for reading and sharing.
I’d really like your feedback on this edition:
What was useful?
What didn’t you like?
How could a tech-focused edition better serve you?
Hey Matt, that was a really good read. The tech edition worked well. I think because you come from the background of an enthusiast with not too much technical detail, I could relate to it.
Especially, the bit about tracking data and Apple was so insightful. Btw, I take it that you have watched the social dilemma?
Tobi
I never normally read tech reviews butvseeing as this is you, I thought I would give it a try. You disn’t disappoint. I am due for a major tech upgrade this year and I think you just sold me on the iPad 12.9”. Oh and anything that hurts the most sociopathic company in the world (and there are a lot of contenders for the top spot) has my approval. Nice work Matt.