| Cult of Mac

Elon Musk buys Twitter for a cool $44 billion

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The world's richest person will soon have total control of Twitter.
The world's richest person will soon have total control of Twitter.
Photo: Elon Musk/Twitter/Cult of Mac

Twitter said Monday it accepted Elon Musk’s offer to purchase the company for $44 billion. That gives the billionaire — who is the world’s wealthiest person — absolute control of the social media platform after the deal is approved.

Apple accused of using NDAs to silence workers’ complaints

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Apple accused of using NDAs to silence workers’ complaints
The SEC has been asked to look into whether Apple lied about not using NDAs as concealment clauses.
Photo: SEC

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is being urged to look into Apple’s claim that it doesn’t use nondisclosure agreements to prevent its employees from talking about alleged incidents of harassment and discrimination.

The request comes from a collection of state treasurers who point out that activists accuse Apple of using NDAs for exactly this purpose.

SEC blocks Apple’s bid to hide NDAs from shareholders

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Apple-Store-logo
Apple will have to give shareholders a vote on concealment clauses.
Photo: Laurenz Heymann/Unsplash

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has blocked Apple’s attempt to hide non-disclosure agreements and other concealment clauses from its shareholders.

The decision comes after Apple investor Nia Impact Capital filed a proposal in September calling for Apple to publish a report detailing “the potential risks to the company associated with its use of concealment clauses in the context of harassment, discrimination and other unlawful acts.”

SEC charges Apple’s failed sapphire supplier of misleading investors

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GT Advanced
The back entrance GT Advanced's old sapphire plant in Mesa, Arizona.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

GT Advanced Technologies, the company that was supposed to make sapphire screens for the iPhone early this decade, has been charged with misleading investors by the SEC.

The SEC’s investigation found that GT and its CEO violated antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws as part of its deal to supply Apple with sapphire. After failing to meet certain performance requirements, GT caused “significant investor harm” by reclassifying over $300 million in debt to Apple. Sadly, the company’s punishment is pretty much just a slap on the wrist.

Fired Apple lawyer released on $500,000 bond

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Apple sign
Gene Levoff is accused of insider trading while at Apple.
Photo: Milo Kahney/Cult of Mac

Gene Levoff, former senior director of corporate law and corporate secretary at Apple, has been released on a $500,000 bond after pleading not guilty to charges of insider trading.

Levoff, who formerly prevented Apple employees from insider trading, is accused of using nonpublic information to buy and sell tens of millions of dollars’ worth of Apple stock. He was fired by Apple last September, two months after being placed on leave.

SEC charges ex-Apple lawyer with insider trading

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Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Former Apple lawyer Gene Levoff used confidential Apple earnings data to make millions.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s former lawyer who was in charge of preventing employees from insider trading has been charged with insider trading himself.

The Securities and Exchange Commission accuses Gene Levoff, former senior director of corporate law and corporate secretary at Apple, of using inside information to buy and sell tens of millions of dollars worth of Apple shares in order to make a profit or avoid losses.

Feds have questions about iPhone throttling. Apple has answers.

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iphone battery
Apple will replace your battery for just $29.
Photo: iFixit

Apple says it is cooperating with U.S. government agencies investigating the company’s decision to throttle CPU speeds on iPhones with older batteries.

The official statement from Apple this morning comes a day after news broke that the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating whether Apple broke any securities laws.

Apple faces DoJ probe over throttled iPhones

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iphone battery
$29 for a battery replacement isn't too bad.
Photo: iFixit

Investigators at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are looking into whether or not Apple violated securities laws when it disclosed that it throttles CPU speeds on some iPhones.

Apple revealed at the beginning of the year that it intentionally lowers the speed on iPhones with older batteries to prevent unwanted crashes. Customers in numerous counties have filed lawsuits against the iPhone maker. Now it appears that the feds are getting ready to weigh in.

Apple officially adds services to business strategy

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App Store
Services like the App Store are a huge money maker.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Services have become such an important revenue stream for Apple in recent years that the company decided to update its official business strategy today reflect its expanding money making machine.

In a filing with the SEC, Apple made a couple of changes to the description of its business. It’s the first time a major change has been made to the strategy since around 2014.

Apple execs pay dearly for 2016’s failures

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Tim Cook
Apple named in another top tech list.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook received less pay in 2016 as a result of the company missing revenue and profit goals.

In a new filing with the SEC, Apple revealed that other top executives also got less compensation for 2016 as well. Cook only took home $8.7 million last year after being paid $10.2 million in in 2015.