Apple's week December 13: this is fine

Apple's biggest DOOM™ week turned out to be a nothingburger. Image source: unknown (please tell me if you know)

The Apple news cycle got spun into a tizzy across the previous week as it seemed everyone was leaving the company at once. Of course, once the smoke cleared, things weren't quite so dire.

The rest of the week was fairly quiet by comparison.

Here's the news of the week:

ICEBlock drama won't go away

There's been a slow trickle of news around ICEBlock since it was pulled from Apple's App Store. The developer is suing a range of folks in the US Government for a violation of free speech, and it's a pretty clear-cut case.

ICEBlock developer is suing the US government

Thankfully, activists attempting to help immigrants avoid attack and persecution from ICE have found creative ways to alert everyone. Whistles are being 3D printed and handed out so people can make some noise when they see a raid taking place.

Of course, the more effective way to avoid ICE was found in technology. The ICEBlock app enabled users to mark where they saw ICE on a map, and only when they were within a certain radius of the location. The markers expired after a time, and users were not able to post information like photos of federal agents or doxxing information.

The US government wants these unconstitutional actions to occur in secret so they don't have to be held accountable for their acts of domestic terrorism. The president's media sphere spent hours of screen time teaching their viewers and listeners the rhetoric around the ICE app and the made-up dangers it presented.

These talking points are found in the forum section of every article we write on ICE.

Apple had to remove the app under pressure from the US government. Those involved went onto various news outlets to yell about their victory in forcing the apps to be taken down and how they won't tolerate them existing.

Yeah, that's illegal, but they don't care. They are the law at the moment.

Thankfully, one of America's oldest traditions is still alive and well – protesting. While I don't think the app will ever be restored under this administration, I do believe that protests help keep hope alive. It ensures people don't feel forgotten.

The scheduled protests in Portland are quite fun. They show up in Santa suits and sing Apple-inspired Christmas carols about how Tim Cook needs to grow a backbone and stand up to authoritarianism.

The app still works if it was installed previously. Apple hasn't gone so far as to revoke its ability to work via an update.

It's particularly frustrating that half-conscious morons feel that it is their job to go around the internet and tell everyone how evil immigration is. Some have learned how to walk the line of saying hateful things without violating the rules so moderators can't remove their hateful rhetoric and misinformation.

These same types of people, let's call them red hats, are the ones that spread their racism to every topic possible. I publish a review of a set of routers, and they're in the comments spreading misinformation and xenophobia sourced from the current administration. If there is any evidence of a TP-Link router being used in a Chinese botnet? Is there any expert that has come forward to say they are unsafe? Where is the evidence?

I can't wait for all of this insanity to end. It is an embarrassment of the United States, though it is truly emblematic of its history and a very loud, powerful, if minority group of bigots in our country.

I yearn for the days I don't have to write about ICE on a tech media website.

The future of foldables is in Apple's hands... apparently

There have been multiple investor reports around the foldable market and what Apple's potential entry into it might do. Of course, it's one heck of a long shot.

iPhon Air against a reflective surface — iPhone Fold could resemble two iPhone Airs with a hinge

Foldables entered the market around 2019. Six years later, they make up about 1.5% of the entire smartphone market. This is likely due to a combination of things.

Foldables are naturally compromised devices that are difficult to manufacture. The price is astronomical compared to any other smartphone, even Apple's or Samsung's most premium models. There is no doubt that they are interesting from a technological point of view, but they hardly seem practical, even in their current iterations.

Analysts believe that Apple is the missing piece of the puzzle. That once the iPhone Fold is released, it will boost the market and mindshare that foldables are the way to go, Apple's or not.

This belief is so strong that the analysts believe the foldables could go from 1.5% of the market in 2025 to 10% of the market by 2029. It seems unrealistic without multiple dramatic changes.

Apple would need to introduce a device that is as thin and light as existing devices, with a good-enough battery, and zero to little creasing in the display. It won't have an advanced camera system like the iPhone Pro, nor will it be a perfect tablet like the iPad mini. It will be something in the middle, not good at being either device.

I'm still of the opinion that the iPhone Fold could get delayed in early 2026 and ultimately never see the light of day. It seems that foldables and spatial computing have been developed in tandem to achieve a similar result – a device that is more portable but able to offer more screen real estate.

Even if the iPhone Fold releases, I'm not sure it'll do well. It'll be an evolution of the iPhone Air, which allegedly is Apple's worst-selling this cycle. That isn't to say it's selling poorly; the worst-selling iPhone is the envy of the industry, but it clearly didn't take over as the new de facto non-standard iPhone. The iPhone Pro still holds that role.

I personally would love to play around with an iPhone Fold. It could even be a replacement for my iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPad mini, but I'm not sure that's possible. It doesn't seem likely that Apple would include an identical camera system to the iPhone Pro Max in the iPhone Fold, and those cameras are my priority above all other features.

I can deal with it not being as good an iPad mini due to size and form factor. It needs to be the best iPhone, and it won't be.

What these analysts and fans don't seem to understand is Apple could actually be the death of foldables. Just as it could legitimize and popularize the form factor, it could destroy it. If Apple releases a foldable and it flops, or sees a similar arc to the iPhone mini, then it'll sour the industry to the concept.

Because if Apple can't win in the space, likely no one can.

A black cat laying on his back on a blue couch, one paw covering his eyes — Agatha is tired of all this tech drama