Craig Federighi, in an interview with Ars Technica, speaking about Windows on Apple Silicon Macs:
We have the core technologies for them to do that, to run their ARM version of Windows, which in turn of course supports x86 user mode applications. But that’s a decision Microsoft has to make, to bring to license that technology for users to run on these Macs. But the Macs are certainly very capable of it.
The whole interview is great and well worth a read.
To go with my 5K renders of default Mac OS X macOS wallpapers, I’ve reworked Mac OS 9’s wallpapers. Some of them are wild:
I pulled the originals out of an OS 9 installer then used Pixelmator Pro’s ML Super Resolution tool, running on a new M1 MacBook Air … which gave my 2019 Mac Pro a run for its money rendering these.
If this can’t heal the world here at the end of 2020, I don’t know what can.
This week’s Connected is jam-packed:
Stephen and Myke talk about their HomePod minis and M1 Macs, and Federico explains what’s going on with iOS 14.3 and App Store revenue changes. Merri Hackett joins Federico and Myke to talk about her experience with the iPhone 12 mini, and they decide they’d rather Stephen just didn’t come back.
On Connected Pro, Myke isn’t Fleeting and Stephen had an accident. Then, later, a title is born and podcasting gear is configured.
My thanks to Merri for joining us and to our sponsors for this episode:
I’m sure it’s a bug, but it feels like yet another nudge to upgrade an OS I can’t run yet on my production machine:
Sure looks like there is room in there for a larger, more powerful Mac mini down the road…
(Here’s a link to the original source, but the site seems to be down.)
This morning, Apple announced a change coming to the App Store next year:
Apple today announced an industry-leading new developer program to accelerate innovation and help small businesses and independent developers propel their businesses forward with the next generation of groundbreaking apps on the App Store. The new App Store Small Business Program will benefit the vast majority of developers who sell digital goods and services on the store, providing them with a reduced commission on paid apps and in-app purchases. Developers can qualify for the program and a reduced, 15 percent commission if they earned up to $1 million in proceeds during the previous calendar year.
There is some fine print:
Existing developers who made up to $1 million in 2020 for all of their apps, as well as developers new to the App Store, can qualify for the program and the reduced commission.
If a participating developer surpasses the $1 million threshold, the standard commission rate will apply for the remainder of the year.
If a developer’s business falls below the $1 million threshold in a future calendar year, they can requalify for the 15 percent commission the year after.
For example, a developer that earns less than $1 million in 2020 on all of their apps after subtracting the amount paid to Apple for App Store commissions is eligible for the program and would pay a 15% commission on App Store earnings beginning January 1, 2021. Hypothetically, if the same developer has post-commission earnings of greater than $1 million in aggregate on all of their apps by, for example, September 1st, their App Store commission rate (assuming a paid-up-front app) would increase to 30% for the remainder of the year. That same developer would continue to pay 30% in 2022 but would be eligible for the 15% rate again in 2023 if their 2022 post-commission earnings fell below $1 million. It is our understanding that App Store earnings of all kinds count toward the $1 million total regardless of whether the source is a paid-up-front app, In-App Purchase, or a subscription.
It has been interesting to see the reaction to this. I have many friends who make their livings on the App Store, and for indie developers like them, this is a big win. However, Apple’s label of “small business” could easily conflict with the $1 million cutoff. If an app developer find success in the store and builds out a small company, chances are they’re making more than $1 million a year from the store, yet this program doesn’t apply to them.
I would love to see the data used to select the cap, but of course, we probably never will. That said, for those developers who stand to gain from this, it’s a good day.
On the other hand, I’ve also seen criticism of Apple’s framing of this, as the company couched it in the COVID-19 pandemic:
The App Store Small Business Program, which will launch on January 1, 2021, comes at an important time as small and independent developers continue working to innovate and thrive during a period of unprecedented global economic challenge. Apps have taken on new importance as businesses adapt to a virtual world during the pandemic, and many small businesses have launched or dramatically grown their digital presence in order to continue to reach their customers and communities. The program’s reduced commission means small developers and aspiring entrepreneurs will have more resources to invest in and grow their businesses in the App Store ecosystem.
While this reasoning is good, of course, it’s not the whole story. Moves like this are also designed to fend off regulators, who are already looking at Apple’s business practices when it comes to the App Store. I doubt this will be enough to halt any pending legislation, but honestly, I care a lot less about that than those who are going to see more revenue for their work starting in January.
Commercial Crew has gotten official with the launch of Crew-1 over the weekend, the start of a six-month expedition on the International Space Station. That and the possibilities of Jim Bridenstine’s future. Oh, and kilonovas!
I guess whatever comes after Big Sur will be macOS 12, then. Or maybe Apple just skips ahead to share the same version number across everything next year? EVERYTHING IS UP IN THE AIR.
The real news is that a photo of the Macintosh Portable is on Apple’s website in 2020:
After last week’s Apple server meltdown, this support article outlines what this system does, and how Apple will work to improve it.
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This week’s Mac Power Users is a special one. David and I were able to interview Kurt Knight, Senior Director of Platform Product Marketing at Apple about macOS Big Sur and the new M1 Macs.
After our interview, David and I spoke at-length about the new machines and what it means for the future of the Mac. It’s a good time to be a Mac user.
My thanks to our sponsors: