Hi there and good morning.
Apple made some splashy device announcements this week—but those in the media industry have been bracing for other updates from the $2 trillion tech company. Specifically: how Apple would require users to opt-in to share their data in the iOS 14 update.
Apple ultimately delayed the feature in its iOS update until next year. But the whole charade left media executives, they told me, surprised but not completely taken aback. In these circles, Apple has always been the conglomerate to issue massive decisions that have huge effects on media companies without allowing for much give and take in working with them.
It’s because they’re a device manufacturer first and foremost, industry insiders argued. And they’re in different stages of reckoning with their place in the digital ad ecosystem compared to companies like Google or Facebook.
Overall—in the large scheme of what Apple has done in the past (including redirecting news links to its own app instead of news’ owned and operated properties), this move isn’t as dramatic or unprecedented. Media execs aren’t mad, they’re just disappointed. (Read the full saga here).
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Fun Fact: This dog is in a hazmat suit.
Need a break? Consider watching this commercial from my homeland, the first ad I ever could recite word for word. (The I-X Center will close, per local reports yesterday).
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