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Apple’s $100 million settlement alters App Store rules

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Apple agreed on a settlement with a crew of developers in a class action lawsuit addressing the OS creator’s handling of its App Store, in addition to setting a $100 million fund to support U.S. developers earning less than $1 million.

The settlement agreement clearly states that Apple holds direct responsibility towards its userbase by not clarifying its “policies” regarding developer-customer communication.

These policy clarifications will elaborate on terms affirming that iOS developers have permission to contact their customers – with permission – to inform them about payment conducted outside the App Store. 

For years, critics have been extremely vocal regarding the Big Tech titan’s anti-steering policies. While this turnabout in policies might carry immense significance for iOS developers, it might not hold much significance to Apple. 

In June, the company made alterations to its App Store Policies and Terms, providing developers with grounds for communication outside the apps, while it did not cover user contact concerning alternative payment options by utilizing in-app information. 

Once the current settlement gets the final approval, the imposed restriction will be entirely removed, which will facilitate developer-user communication through the App Store’s applications. 

“From the beginning, the App Store has been an economic miracle; it is the safest and most trusted place for users to get apps, and an incredible business opportunity for developers to innovate, thrive and grow,” said Phil Schiller in a statement – an Apple employee who supervises the App Store. 

“We would like to thank the developers who worked with us to reach these agreements in support of the goals of the App Store and to the benefit of all of our users,” he added. 

During its press release, the iOS giant managed to pivot the settlement to make it look like the company was solely granting the developers the benevolent offer without the pressure of a lawsuit.

“To give developers even more flexibility to reach their customers, Apple is also clarifying that developers can use communications, such as email, to share information about payments methods outside of their iOS app,” the company wrote on its blog

“As always developers will not pay Apple a commission on any purchases taking place outside of their app or the App Store. Users must consent to the communication and have the right to opt-out,” the statement added. 

While Apple’s gesture to settle on the proposed agreement for “Cameron et al v. Apple Inc” will give developers a $100 million divided on a limited group of developers who make $1 million or less, in an attempt to showcase itself as the promised savior, the company named it “Small Developer Assistance Fund.”

Even though the settlement has not been finalized – as it waits for the judge’s final verdict – the court filling included a clause stating that a website clarifying how payments distribution on authorized developers will be operational following the judge’s settlement approval.

Proceeds rank extending from 1 penny to over $1 million will clear out any prospective return, with developers expecting a minimum payment ranging from $250 to $30,000. This will solemnly depend on how many developers submit approved claims, with the remainder of the $100 million funds going to the Girls Who Code nonprofit. 

Richard Czeslawski, one of the iOS developers, said in a statement, “… we’ve gained the ability to use contact information obtained from signups in our apps to communicate with our users outside the app about purchasing alternatives to IAP. That’s a big deal.”

In parallel, Apple made a promise concerning the “App Store Small Business Program” to permit developers earning less than $1 million in a year to appeal for a compressed 15 percent commission from their sales for a minimum period of three years. 

Moreover, the software developer will be enquired to release an annual transparency report covering its App Store.The tech giant addressed the report by stating that it will incorporate “meaningful statistics about the app review process, including the number of apps rejected for different reasons, the number of customers and developers accounts deactivated, objective data regarding search queries and results, and the number of apps removed from the App Store.”

Although Apple demonstrated clear intentions of committing to the release of the report for at least three years, the company has yet to release the report’s initial draft.

Currently, App Store developers are confined to less than 100 price points for their app subscriptions, in-app purchases, and paid apps. To alter this scenario, Apple agreed to set more than 500 price points for its developers’ apps.

Also, the settlement provides developers with the required knowledge, to fully comprehend how the appeal process will happen. The company will implement into the fund an undetermined sum of money and supplementary information concerning the app appeals process on the App Review website

As for the settlement’s legal aspect, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, the same judge overseeing the Fortnite developer Epic Games lawsuit, will give the final call on the matter.

In a fascinating and enthralling legal twist surrounding the iPhone maker and Fortnite’s architect Epic Games, Judge Rogers will release her ruling in her California courtroom. 

In the lawsuit, Epic Games accused Apple of monopolizing the App Store to pressure developers to accept high commission fees, reaching a whopping 30 percent for any in-app purchase.

While Apple’s proposed changes on its store might lead to preferential outcomes, only time will truly determine the lengths the Big Tech titan is willing to take to protect its business prospects while securing its developers’ lawful rights. 

Daryn is a technical writer with thorough history and experience in both academic and digital writing fields.

Technology

What are the Ethical Issues in Biometrics?

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Ethical Issues in Biometrics

What is biometric identification? It is the process through which unique biological characteristics are used in biometric identification to recognize and validate a person. These characteristics can be found in facial traits, eye structures, DNA, fingerprint patterns, and even handwriting. All this data that can be gathered on an individual inevitably brings up the ethical issues in biometrics that need to be addressed.

Facial recognition and fingerprint scans were previously the domain of security, and they were utilized for identification and law enforcement. However, increasingly more business and civil applications are using biometrics authentication. Due to this increased use, it is crucial to address the moral and ethical issues in biometrics when used in the creation of new application and technology.

Applied biometrics and corporate ethics have received little empirical study despite the widespread use of biometric technologies. As a result, there is plenty of room for future study to help us better comprehend the moral consequences of adopting this technology.

This article examines the ethical concerns associated with the use of biometric technology on the use of biometrics for non-security applications as well as the moral ramifications for business.

Ethical Issues in Biometrics and Privacy

Biometric data takes privacy concerns to a whole new level that typical data gathering only touches on. Digital identities can be forged, and anonymity on the web can be maintained to a degree if you know how. Also, digital data can be deleted – if we forget that Meta (Facebook) has been revealed to store deleted data, which is an ethical concern in itself.

The problem with biometric data is that it is unforgeable, unconcealable, and permanent, You can’t change your eye structure, your fingerprint, or your facial features. Big tech companies already have your face, fingerprints, and your voice recorded and stored via current biometric authentication systems – mainly used for unlocking your phone. That data will be there forever, and there is little that people can do about it besides avoid it In the first place.

While many companies still give users the option of using a good old fashion passcode to unlock their phones, as technology as a whole tends to do, the biometric alternative is slowly gaining more traction, and will one day become the norm, as it is hard to argue its convenience and security. You can’t accidentally leave your eyeball at home or forget your fingerprint. But in the same sense, you can’t change it. If your childish curiosity while browsing the web put a black spot on your record, there’s no changing that.

Therein lies the question of who if anyone should have access to such data. Today’s tech giants have all our data in their hands, that won’t change with the spread of biometric verification methods. Indeed, it will only increase targeting capabilities.

While the collection of biometric data on its own does not necessarily mean it will be shared, monetized, or abused in any way, it never the less requires clear and strict guidelines and regulations to be implemented around it. There are too many things that can be abused by the wrong party when the ethical issues in biometrics are not taken seriously, and if such limitations are not applied stringently.


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Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro: Specs and Comparison   

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Oppo Reno 8

The Reno line of smartphones has always had a fantastic camera and an attractive design. The Reno 8 and 8 Pro include a 120Hz AMOLED display, the newest Dimensity chipsets, 80W fast charging, a 32-megapixel front camera, and triple 50-megapixel back cameras, among other notable features that make the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro high-quality yet affordable option for anyone. 

Here we compare the two latest Oppo phone series iterations and see what to expect from the flagship Oppo smartphone, and how the Oppo Reno 8 and the Oppo Reno Pro stack up against each other. 

Oppo Reno 8 Specifications 

The Oppo Reno 8 has a smaller 6.43-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 by 2,400 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It also runs Android 12 with ColorOS 12.1 on top. Additionally, the display has an 800 nits maximum brightness and a 20:09 aspect ratio. An octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage are all found within the Oppo smartphone. 

The Reno 8 has a triple back camera configuration for pictures and movies, with a 50-megapixel main sensor and an f/1.8 lens as its focal point. Additionally, there is a 2-megapixel macro camera with a 112-degree field of view and an 8-megapixel sensor coupled with an f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens. 

The Reno 8 offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connection options. An accelerometer, light, gyroscope, magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors on board. For biometric verification, the phone also has a fingerprint sensor hidden behind the display. A 4,500mAh battery inside the Oppo Reno 8 supports 80W Super Flash Charge quick charging. The phone weighs 179 grams and has dimensions of 160 x 73.4 x 7.67mm. 

Oppo Reno 8 Pro Specifications 

A 6.7-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,412) AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection is included with the Oppo Reno 8 Pro. Running on top of Android 12 is ColorOS 12.1. Additionally, the display supports HDR10+ and is certified by Netflix HD, Amazon HDR, SGS Low Motion Blur, and SGS Low Blue Light. The MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC, which has eight cores, and up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM power the smartphone. Storage on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is UFS 3.1 capable of up to 256GB. 

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro boasts a triple rear camera arrangement with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 main sensor and an f/1.8 lens, an 8-megapixel sensor and an ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 112-degree field of view, and a 2-megapixel macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Along with the MariSilicon X NPU, the phone’s camera will offer generally better performance in both bright and dim light. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera sensor with an f/2.4 lens for taking selfies and making video calls. 

The phone has 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connectivity options. An accelerometer, a light meter, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors built into the phone. For biometric authentication, the phone also contains a fingerprint sensor underneath the touchscreen. The smartphone has a 4,500mAh battery that supports rapid charging at 80W Super Flash Charge. The phone weighs 183 grams and has dimensions of 161 x 74.2 x 7.34mm. 

Both the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro are prime smartphones that can fit any user’s preferences and can be considered premium smartphones on the cheaper side. If you like photography, you will be satisfied with the level of quality overall, but keep in mind that neither phone is particularly water resistant, so be careful where you take it.  


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles. 

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: How do They Compare Today

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars

Many prefer the rumbling ‘vroom’ of a gasoline car to the soft hum of an electric vehicle, while others would rather just be satisfied in the knowledge that they are lessening their carbon footprint. Let’s look at the cold hard facts however, and compare electric cars vs gas cars

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Components

The amount of moving components is an important distinction between electric and gasoline-powered automobiles. While a gasoline-powered car contains hundreds of moving components, an electric vehicle just has one, the motor. Another significant distinction is that the electric car has fewer moving components. The electric car is more dependable and needs less routine maintenance. The maintenance needed for a gasoline-powered car ranges from routine oil changes, filter replacements, tune-ups, and exhaust system repairs to less frequent component replacements including water and fuel pumps, alternators, and so on.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Maintenance

The expenses associated with maintaining an electric car are reduced since there are less maintenance requirements. The shaft, the only moving component of the electric motor, is extremely dependable and needs little to no maintenance. The controller and charger are electrical devices that require minimal to no maintenance because they have no moving components. Modern sealed lead acid batteries are maintenance free and utilized in electric cars nowadays. However, these batteries have a finite lifespan and will eventually need to be replaced. New batteries are being developed to increase the range of electric cars as well as the battery pack’s lifespan, perhaps eliminating the need to replace the battery pack throughout the course of the vehicle’s lifespan.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Efficiency

In addition to being simpler and less expensive to repair than gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles are also more cost-effective to run. The electric car will drive roughly 43 miles for $1 based on the efficiency of 3 miles/kwhr and the cost of power at 7 cents per kwhr. The gasoline-powered car will go roughly 18 miles based on the average gas mileage of 22 miles per gallon and the price of gasoline at $1.25 per gallon. As a result, an electric car may drive more than twice as far on a dollar’s worth of petrol.

Where Electric Falls Behind

There are still a number of difficulties for the owner of an electric car despite the fact that it will be less expensive to operate and maintain.

The primary issue is the restricted range offered by existing battery technology. The amount of driving distance possible utilizing the current batteries is between 50 and 150 miles. These ranges are being extended by new battery technologies, and prototypes of these batteries have shown ranges of up to 200 miles between recharging. Solar powered charging stations are being implemented in numerous places to decrease range anxiety towards electric vehicles

The lack of qualified service professionals to repair and maintain electric cars is another issue that faces their owners. A two-year associate degree program has been developed to train high school graduates to become proficient electric vehicle technicians, and training programs are being developed and made available to upgrade the conventional automotive technician with the skills needed to maintain an electric vehicle.

Infrastructure to recharge the batteries is also required. The most important component of the infrastructure for recharging already exists: electric power is accessible practically everywhere. To support the electric car, it is still necessary to guarantee that charging stations with the right sorts of service (i.e., maximum voltage and current) are placed in important areas. Plans must also be made.


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.

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