Niantic, the game developer behind the popular augmented reality title 'Pokemon Go', is moving ahead with major layoffs even as the company co-founder and CEO calls out Apple Vision Pro for laying the groundwork for an even more robust AR future.Pokemon GOThe founder and CEO of the company, John Hanke, recently published an email he originally sent to Niantic employees detailing the major organizational changes coming to the company. Those will include layoffs from across the company, an entire studio shutting down, and games not called Pokemon Go getting cancelled altogether. Read more...

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 updates to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test out the software head of its official launch. The public betas come just a day after Apple provided the fourth betas to developers. Those who have signed up their accounts for Apple's free beta testing program can enable the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to General, selecting Software Update, tapping on Beta Updates, and selecting the iOS 16 Public Beta option. iOS 16.6 seems to be a relatively minor update, although Apple does appear to be laying the groundwork for the launch of the previously announced iMessage Contact Key Verification feature. Development on ‌iOS 16‌…

Affirm has killed off Canada's last option for interest-free financing through Apple programs.Financing an iPhone in Canada costs moreCanada doesn't have access to Apple Card or other financing options like iPhone Upgrade Program, but Apple customers did have a zero-interest finance option for a time. PayBright offered a zero-interest finance option in Canada as a subsidiary of Affirm, but that option is now gone. Read more...

Affirm has killed off Canada's last option for interest-free financing through Apple programs.Financing an iPhone in Canada costs moreCanada doesn't have access to Apple Card or other financing options like iPhone Upgrade Program, but Apple customers did have a zero-interest finance option for a time. PayBright offered a zero-interest finance option in Canada as a subsidiary of Affirm, but that option is now gone. Read more...

Apple is the Online Safety Bill as it could be used to force encrypted messaging tools like iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal and other to scan messages for, ostensibly, child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Apple’s opposition comes as 80 organizations and tech experts have written to UK Technology Minister Chloe Smith urging a rethink. Chris Vallance for The Beeb: Apple told the BBC the bill should be amended to protect encryption. Police, the government and some high-profile child protection charities maintain the tech – used in apps such as WhatsApp and Apple’s iMessage – prevents law enforcement and the firms themselves from identifying the sharing of child sexual abuse material. But in a statement Apple said: “End-to-end encryption is a critical capability…

Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 updates to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test out the software head of its official launch. The public betas come just a day after Apple provided the third betas to developers. Those who have signed up their accounts for Apple's free beta testing program can enable the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to General, selecting Software Update, tapping on Beta Updates, and selecting the iOS 16 Public Beta option. iOS 16.6 seems to be a relatively minor update, although Apple does appear to be laying the groundwork for the launch of the previously announced iMessage Contact Key Verification feature. Development on ‌iOS 16‌…