| Cult of Mac

Unreleased ads show the classic Mac team talking up their creation

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Unreleased ads show the classic Mac team talking up their creation
That's Susan Kare, the icon designer on the original Mac.
Photo: Apple

Andy Hertzfeld, one of the original members of the Macintosh team, has uploaded an unseen series of 1983 interview snippets intended to be used for Mac ads. The mini interviews feature the likes of Hertzfeld, Mike Murray, Burrell Smith, Bill Atkinson, Susan Kare, and George Crow talking about Apple’s then in-development computer.

The ads were never used — but it’s a great nostalgic look back at the enthusiasm surrounding the original Macintosh 128K.

Apple adman who created iconic commercials sues his former agency

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Apple
Duncan Milner left TBWA earlier this year.
Photo: Apple

A former Apple advertising creative lead, who worked on some of its biggest ad campaigns, has sued his former agency, TBWA. Duncan Milner claims wrongful termination based on age discrimination.

Following the retirement of TBWA boss (and Steve Jobs friend) Lee Clow this year, Milner was told that the company “couldn’t carry his salary anymore.”

New ads show off iPhone encryption, recycling, and privacy

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iPhone recycling 1
Not every important feature of the iPhone is immediately visible.
Photo: Apple

Not every feature that makes the iPhone special is an immediately visible one like fancy new displays or new color options. Some of the things which make iOS great are under-the-hood features like its focus on encryption, privacy in the App Store — and even Apple’s sustainable focus on iPhone recycling.

Those are three of the topic highlighted in a series of new ads. Apple shared them to its YouTube channel in Australia over the weekend. Check them out:

WhatsApp will start showing you ads in 2020

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WhatsApp stickers
It's time to upgrade if you haven't already.
Photo: WhatsApp

Conversations with your friends won’t be the only thing that shows up inside your WhatsApp next year. Facebook has confirmed ads will also start appearing in 2020.

You’ll see them in WhatsApp Status, the messaging platform’s answer to Instagram Stories.

Mozilla petitions Apple to boost privacy with rotating ad IDs

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ipad-pro-smart-keyboard-safari
Rotating advertiser IDs make a lot of sense.
Photo: Apple

Mozilla, the company behind Firefox, is calling for Apple to boost user privacy on iOS by introducing rotating advertiser IDs.

Most iPhone and iPad users don’t know that they can block access to their unique ID, Mozilla says. Regularly rotating IDs would make it harder for companies “to build profiles of us over time.”

Sign the petition to pressure Apple into making a change today.

Apple simplifies Face ID, iOS 12 and recycling in new ads

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Face ID ad
Did you know Face ID doesn't store photos of your face?
Photo: Apple

Apple goes back to the basics in a new set of ads today uploaded to YouTube.

Doing away with fancy effects, catchy music, and even its own hardware, it highlights some of the key features of Face ID and iOS 12. It also promotes its smartphone recycling program that’s open to all handsets — even if they’re not iPhones.

Hulu cuts price of ad-supported service, but Live TV costs more

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Hulu
Hulu is now more affordable.
Photo: Hulu

Hulu has slashed the price of its ad-supported plan, making the service more accessible to budget-conscious consumers.

It’s not all good news, however: Hulu’s Live TV plan, which offers access to more than 60 top channels live and on-demand, is now more expensive. The ad-free Hulu and Hulu + Spotify plans have not been changed.

Apple pulls third-party SDKs from Shazam in latest update

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Apple acquisition meant that Shazam turned a profit in 2018
Apple acquisition meant that Shazam turned a profit in 2018
Photo: Apple

Apple has pulled all but one third-party SDK from Shazam in its latest update.

The move wipes out analytics firms, ad networks, open-source projects, and more — including Google AdMob, Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and DoubleClick. Only HockeyApp, a Microsoft platform for beta testing, is still available.

Spotify will soon ban accounts that use ad blockers

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Spotify Premium update October 2018
Try it out today.
Photo: Spotify

You could soon see your Spotify account banned or shutdown completely if you use an ad blocker.

The music streaming service’s updated terms of service, which go into effect on March 1, now specifically state that using tools or modified apps to block ads is prohibited.