Brazil’s Antitrust Authority Considers Possible Sanctions Against Apple for NFC Limitations

Apple is presently dealing with notable legal challenges, comprising a class action lawsuit initiated by Proton in the U.S. and a federal antitrust case in New Jersey that a judge has chosen not to dismiss. Moreover, Brazil’s antitrust authority, CADE, has proposed sanctions against Apple for its restrictive behaviors concerning the iPhone’s NFC chip and its stipulation for developers to utilize Apple Pay.

CADE’s General Superintendence has indicated that Apple’s conduct creates “artificial barriers” for rivals and obstructs innovation within the iOS ecosystem, which Apple completely oversees. The agency contends that these practices complicate market entry for emerging players and restrict options for both developers and users.

This investigation began following a complaint from MercadoLibre, a prominent e-commerce platform in Latin America, which alleged that Apple was exploiting its market dominance by curbing the sale of third-party digital services and enforcing the utilization of its payment system for in-app purchases. CADE determined that these limitations constitute an abuse of economic power under Brazilian legislation, maintaining Apple’s dominant status and hindering competitors’ ability to function.

CADE has asked its internal tribunal to impose a financial sanction on Apple and enforce remedies to address the antitrust violations, which may involve requiring access to Apple’s NFC hardware and payment systems, akin to regulations imposed by the EU under the Digital Markets Act.

In response, Apple defended its practices, voicing concerns that CADE’s suggested actions could adversely affect the user experience it has developed over the years. The company highlighted that the App Store has offered a safe marketplace for Brazilian consumers and has aided local developers. Apple asserts that it does not possess a dominant position in Brazil, referencing Android’s greater market share, and claims that its NFC platform is accessible to third parties, albeit under its own conditions.

Addigy’s Prebuilt Application Catalog: Simplifying macOS Application Management on a Large Scale

### Optimizing macOS Application Management with Addigy’s Prebuilt App Catalog

The majority of enterprise applications used on macOS platforms are not obtained from the Mac App Store, resulting in considerable difficulties for IT teams responsible for overseeing these applications. The manual tasks associated with monitoring app versions, preparing for deployment, configuring permissions, and ensuring correct installation and updates can be laborious and inefficient. This not only complicates management but also introduces security vulnerabilities when applications fall behind on essential updates. To resolve these challenges, Addigy has launched a new Prebuilt App Catalog, now accessible to all users of its device management platform.

#### Designed for Automation and Security

The Addigy Prebuilt App Catalog is crafted to streamline the deployment and updating of macOS applications throughout Apple device ecosystems. The catalog includes a continually expanding array of frequently used applications that can be deployed and updated without requiring scripting or intricate profile setups. Each application comes prepackaged with all essential device management profiles, which include system extensions and Privacy Preferences Policy Control settings.

Jason Dettbarn, Founder and CEO of Addigy, highlights the time-intensive process of managing macOS applications. He remarks, “Many IT teams devote excessive time to managing macOS applications. With apps updating on their own timelines, the requirement to locate the most recent versions, create deployment scripts, and deal with annoying pop-ups while managing user permissions can feel endless. Now, with Addigy’s prebuilt apps, internal IT and MSPs can simply ‘set and forget’ — assured that users have updated applications which comply with security and regulatory demands, without the need for manual labor or scripting.”

#### Policy Management Without the Hassle

The Prebuilt App Catalog is customized for internal IT teams and managed service providers, featuring search and filter functionalities that allow for quick access to required applications. Administrators can control the update processes, opting to deploy a specific version or activate auto-updates that search for the latest releases every 30 minutes. Furthermore, an Update Only mode permits the updating of existing applications on a device, even if they were not initially installed through Addigy.

Compliance features are built in, allowing IT teams to schedule deployments and enforce update deadlines while reducing disturbances to user productivity. For organizations overseeing multiple groups or clients, Addigy supports inheritance and overrides, enabling a global structure with room for necessary exceptions.

Tim Pearson of CreativeTechs, an early user of Addigy prebuilt apps, expressed excitement for the new system, declaring, “It’s magical. It makes me want to do a dance and jump around the yard!”

#### New Applications Added Weekly

Addigy is dedicated to growing its Prebuilt App Catalog, with new applications being introduced weekly in response to customer input and security demands. As organizations increasingly aim to streamline their Apple device management processes, this cutting-edge catalog signifies a major leap forward for Addigy’s clientele, boosting both efficiency and security in application oversight.

MLS Season Pass Now Offered at 50% Off

### MLS Season Pass Pricing Update

The MLS Season Pass is now accessible for $49 for the rest of the 2025 season, enabling subscribers to watch all Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season and playoff matches, both live and on-demand. This pricing change represents the midpoint of the season, presenting a timely chance for fans to connect with the league.

Subscribers of Apple TV+ enjoy an extra advantage: the MLS Season Pass is available at a lowered price of $39. The monthly subscription plan remains the same, offering an economical choice for dedicated soccer fans who are also part of the streaming service.

It’s crucial to understand that this price drop does not signify a permanent alteration in the pricing model for the MLS Season Pass. Rather, it’s a temporary modification influenced by the season’s advancement. Subscribers who obtain the pass at this reduced rate will have their subscriptions automatically renew at the standard price of $99 in 2026, unless they opt to cancel.

MLS and Apple are presently in the third year of their exclusive streaming collaboration, which enables all MLS games to be streamed on the Apple TV platform without blackouts or regional limitations. This partnership improves accessibility for fans, as matches are available in both English and Spanish. Moreover, viewers can take pleasure in MLS 360, a highlight show that delivers a thorough overview of all live matches on game days.

Fans can access the MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app on various devices, including Android phones and tablets, due to the recent launch of the app on the Google Play Store. Streaming is also possible via web browsers at tv.apple.com, ensuring a wide array of options for viewers to follow their favorite teams in action.

In conclusion, the MLS Season Pass presents an outstanding opportunity for soccer fans to enjoy the remainder of the season at a discounted price, with the added ease of streaming across multiple platforms.

Senior Vision Pro Engineer Allegedly Passed Significant Volume of Secret Plans to Snap

Apple has initiated a legal action against Di Liu, a previous senior engineer for the Vision Pro, alleging that he purloined thousands of confidential documents prior to departing the company to take up a position at Snap, a competing entity. The suit asserts that Liu deceived Apple regarding his resignation, claiming he was leaving for health concerns while covertly orchestrating a transition to a similar position at Snap.

The accusations indicate that Liu retrieved a substantial amount of proprietary data merely three days ahead of his exit, utilizing his Apple credentials to move these documents into his personal cloud storage. This maneuver was reportedly enabled by Liu’s omission of his plans to join a rival, permitting him to maintain access to sensitive corporate information throughout the typical two-week notice timeframe.

Apple employs stringent internal security protocols aimed at detecting unusual access or downloading of documents, yet it appears these safeguards were ineffective in thwarting Liu’s endeavors. The company has a history of taking aggressive legal action against former staff suspected of stealing trade secrets. Past cases include lawsuits targeting former employees who transitioned to startups or competitors, with some facing harsh legal repercussions.

In this case, Apple is pursuing unspecified damages from Liu and demands the return of the appropriated information. The company is also asking for a court directive to inspect Liu’s devices to confirm compliance, as he reportedly tried to eliminate evidence of his misconduct.

At this point, Liu has not made any public statements regarding the lawsuit, and Snap has not been associated with any wrongdoing connected to the matter.

New Releases on Apple TV+ for July

Apple TV+ experienced a robust first half of the year, and in July, two beloved returning series are set to carry on that momentum with fresh seasons. The main attraction is Foundation season 3, the newest installment in Apple’s high-budget sci-fi saga. Additionally, new episodes of the crime drama Smoke and the touching comedy Stick will keep unfolding, along with other debuts like Acapulco. Here’s what’s debuting on Apple TV+ in July.

### Foundation (season 3)

– **When:** *July 11*
– **What:** *TV Show*
– **Genre:** *Sci-Fi Drama*

Inspired by the acclaimed novels of Isaac Asimov, “Foundation” follows a group of outcasts on their significant quest to rescue humanity and restore civilization during its decline.

Important Announcement: Change Your Brother Printer Password Without Delay

**Security Flaws in Brother Printers: An Urgent Notification**

Recent investigations conducted by cybersecurity organization Rapid7 have uncovered that close to 700 Brother printer models, alongside numerous models from Fujifilm, Toshiba, Ricoh, and Konica Minolta, are vulnerable to significant security flaws. These weaknesses could permit attackers to gain access to other devices within the same network and jeopardize sensitive files.

### Summary of Vulnerabilities

The analysis revealed eight vulnerabilities impacting 689 Brother printers and 46 models from various manufacturers. The primary concern relates to the default password generation system, which relies on the printer’s serial number. This weakness makes it easy for attackers to figure out the default administrator password.

Among the most serious vulnerabilities discovered is the authentication bypass, assigned CVE-2024-51978. This flaw permits a remote, unauthenticated attacker to expose the serial number of the target device using different methods. After obtaining the serial number, the attacker can create the default password, providing them unauthorized access.

### Consequences of the Vulnerabilities

Brother has indicated that the default password generation flaw cannot be resolved via a firmware update, emphasizing the need for users to manually alter their printer passwords. The other vulnerabilities could be used to crash printers or, even more concerning, to access additional networked devices and services. In severe circumstances, attackers might retrieve stored passwords and confidential documents from cloud servers.

Another notable vulnerability, CVE-2024-51984, permits a remote authenticated attacker to uncover plaintext credentials for various configured external services, including LDAP or FTP. Exploiting this flaw could supply attackers with further credentials to penetrate a network, potentially resulting in the disclosure of sensitive information.

### Suggested Actions for Users

To lessen these threats, Brother recommends that users conduct firmware updates for seven of the eight identified vulnerabilities. Nevertheless, due to the nature of the default password generation flaw, users must change their printer passwords immediately if they have not yet done so.

### Final Thoughts

The security flaws uncovered in Brother printers underscore the necessity of upholding robust cybersecurity measures, particularly for devices linked to networks. Users should implement proactive steps to secure their devices, such as regular firmware updates and altering default passwords to protect against potential threats.

Eight Motives for Elevating Your Mac or PC During Increasing Shipments

### Justifications for Upgrading: Findings from the Newest Market Intelligence Report

A recent market intelligence report has unveiled eight primary reasons that motivate consumers to upgrade their Mac or PC, categorizing these reasons into three distinct categories. This assessment arrives at a moment when Mac shipments have skyrocketed, exceeding all other PC brands with an impressive year-on-year growth of almost 29% in the first quarter of the year.

#### Increase in Mac Shipments

As reported by Canalys, a prominent market research company, Mac shipments have experienced a notable rise of 28.7% in comparison to the last year. This increase has outpaced that of key rivals including HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Acer. Canalys points out that their tracking emphasizes shipments rather than sales, which may differ due to various market factors.

One factor contributing to this growth is the speculation of potential tariffs, causing resellers to stock up on inventory more than usual to manage future expenses. However, Canalys cautions that this spike may result in a reduction in shipments later this year as stock levels stabilize.

#### Market Trends and Consumer Behavior

The report emphasizes an uptick in vendor strategies aimed at addressing tariff uncertainties, leading to considerable inventory accumulation. This scenario, together with reduced consumer spending, is anticipated to produce a deceleration in the market for the rest of the year. Canalys recommends that retailers should concentrate on the eight main reasons that drive consumers to upgrade their devices, indicating that numerous vendors put too much emphasis on technical details rather than focusing on consumer demands.

#### Major Purchase Influencers

The eight identified motivations for upgrading are vital for vendors to take into account when crafting marketing campaigns. While specifications hold importance, they should not be the exclusive focal point. Consumers tend to respond more positively to relatable messaging, similar to Apple’s strategy of presenting performance enhancements in accessible language rather than complex technical terms.

#### Suggestions for Retailers

To improve the buying experience, Canalys recommends that vendors and channel partners make the buyer’s journey more straightforward through clear, need-oriented messaging and simplified product options. This anticipatory guidance can assist consumers in easily recognizing which devices best meet their needs.

In summary, as the market transforms, grasping the reasons behind consumer upgrades will be crucial for both retailers and manufacturers. By aligning marketing strategies with consumer demands, companies can enhance their positioning in a competitive environment.