Procrastinating on the future, senior tech & policy editor for The Verge. Mainly posts on Bluesky
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Sep 13, 2022 • 59 tweets • 9 min read
Lotta Twitter news today, starting with whistleblower Peiter Zatko testifying to Congress about Twitter and data security judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/data-…
"Twitter is an immensely powerful platform that cannot afford gaping security vulnerabilities," says Sen. Durbin in opening statements — setting the tone of the hearing.
Nov 9, 2021 • 21 tweets • 4 min read
Epic v. Apple alert: Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is now hearing Apple’s argument to stay the requirement that it end anti-steering rules.
I’m on the Zoom call, where Judge YGL has just indicated she’s initially skeptical of granting the stay, but Apple lawyer Mark Perry is making an argument otherwise. (Apparently too quickly, because she just asked him to slow down for the court reporter.)
Sep 10, 2021 • 54 tweets • 13 min read
Got a big Epic v. Apple update! Ruling from the judge.
TL;DR on the Epic v. Apple ruling: Apple can’t stop developers from routing people outside the in-app purchasing ecosystem. But Epic has to pay Apple for breaking its rules.
May 24, 2021 • 120 tweets • 19 min read
Final day of Epic v. Apple starts in 10, with my colleague @mslopatto in the courtroom! Apple seems like it’s in a relatively strong place fighting sideloading, but last week ended with some tough payment questions for Tim Cook:
Court’s testing audio lines now, and we’re about to begin. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said last week that she was interested in talking about remedies (i.e. what changes Apple could actually make if it is violating antitrust law in some way.)
May 21, 2021 • 149 tweets • 20 min read
Last day of Epic v. Apple testimony starts in 20! Apple is calling Tim Cook to bring its side home, with a brief followup by Apple’s expert infosec witness Aviel Rubin.
Day 14 of Epic (but not a fortnight, because weekends) starts in five minutes. It’s all Apple expert witnesses: Dominique Hanssens, James Malackowski, and Aviel Rubin. Yesterday below:
To be perfectly blunt Epic’s expert witness portion was a little slow, but if we make it through today we get Tim Cook tomorrow.
May 19, 2021 • 201 tweets • >60 min read
Unlucky Day 13 of Epic v. Apple, starting in 10 minutes. App Store games guy Michael Schmid will return, followed by another big Apple name: Craig Federighi. Then another expert witness, Dominique Hanssens.
Apple already took one shot today, asking a court to dismiss Epic’s “essential faciliities” claim against it theverge.com/2021/5/19/2244…
May 18, 2021 • 208 tweets • >60 min read
Day 12 of Epic v. Apple starts in 15 minutes, overlapping with Google I/O. More testimony from Phil Schiller and then (maybe) Apple’s head of game business development Michael Schmid! @mslopatto wrote of Schiller yesterday:
The press line seems to be broken this morning, but main conference line is up, and judge is welcoming people to the courtroom.
May 17, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
I’ve spent a lot of time making fun of Apple’s weird contradictory explanations for why Roblox can be on the App Store, but in seriousness I think it’s great they made the call they did, and I hope Apple’s explanations open the door to more apps experimenting with the model.
In like five years Epic’s gonna launch an app where you can buy any game made with its engine but technically they’re all part of the Unreal Experience.
May 17, 2021 • 215 tweets • >60 min read
New week, old trial: Day 11 of Epic v. Apple coming up in 5 minutes. More questions for computer science expert James Mickens. And then Apple exec Phil Schiller takes the stand. Last week below:
Judge Rogers is welcoming people to the courtroom — we’ll be getting started soon.
May 14, 2021 • 158 tweets • 21 min read
Day 10 of Epic v. Apple about to start. Yet another day of expert witnesses: David Evans, Ned Barnes, Peter Rossi, and James Mickens, all from Epic’s side. Will more lawyers fail to buy lives on Candy Crush? Who can say! theverge.com/2021/5/13/2243…
Lawyers are discussing whether to have extended closing statements — judge says she’s heard opening statements, read hundred of pages. “Perhaps for the public you want to do this, I just don’t know how it’s going to be any different."
May 13, 2021 • 153 tweets • 23 min read
Day 9 of Epic v. Apple starts a little after 11. Apple's expert witness Lorin Hitt is returning, then the ball's back in Epic's court with antitrust expert Michael Cragg and a return of economist David Evans. Here's what happened yesterday: theverge.com/2021/5/13/2243…
We’re getting started with the day. Judge just welcomed everyone to the courtroom.
May 12, 2021 • 151 tweets • 24 min read
T-minus 10 until Day 8 of Epic v. Apple. More testimony from Epic expert witness Susan Athey, then Apple’s first experts Richard Schmalensee and (possibly) Francine Lafontaine. Yesterday’s stuff below:
The credit industry has caused more tangible harm through data mining than every social network put together, including bizarre mix-ups like this kafkaesque @strawberrywell saga theverge.com/22421193/credi…
granted, in fairness, I *have* never seen @strawberrywell and his sister in a room together...
May 11, 2021 • 139 tweets • 19 min read
Day 7 of Epic v. Apple starts in 20 minutes. We’re expecting two expert witnesses from Epic’s side — so fair warning, odds of another Naked Banana Fight seem low. If you don’t know what that is, enjoy yesterday here:
We’re starting off with economist David Evans, who also gave testimony yesterday. Evans has been laying out the case for why Apple has an unfair monopoly on distributing iOS apps.
May 10, 2021 • 169 tweets • 25 min read
Week 2 of Epic v. Apple begins in 10 minutes. We’ll start with Epic marketing VP Matthew Weissinger, then two of Epic’s expert witnesses. Check out last week’s writeup from my colleague @mslopatto, plus my last tweet thread:
We’re on with Weissinger, talking about Epic’s work running promotions now, including big Microsoft/Sony crossovers with characters like Master Chief and Kratos, which Weissinger describes as “the Mickey Mouse of PlayStation and Xbox."
May 7, 2021 • 153 tweets • 26 min read
Day 5 of Epic v. Apple! Today we’ve got more testimony from Trystan Kosmynka, Apple marketing VP, followed by Epic’s Steven Allison and Matthew Weissinger. Coverage from yesterday here theverge.com/2021/5/6/22423…
Kosmynka was called by Epic yesterday for questions about Apple’s App Store review. We’re picking back up today. My colleague @mslopatto is also in the courtroom today, getting to see all those binders live!
man i just wanna play thief
unfortunately my last save is running after a ghost in a fort full of zombies, situation less than ideal
May 6, 2021 • 184 tweets • 23 min read
Day 4 of Epic v. Apple starts in 5 minutes! Expecting testimony from Epic business strategy exec Thomas Ko, then Apple App Store VP Matthew Fischer and marketing director Trystan Kosmynka. My wrap-ups from Day 3 below theverge.com/2021/5/5/22421…
We’re starting with some pre-testimony discussion about records being entered into the court.
May 5, 2021 • 41 tweets • 7 min read
Grant’s getting to give his definition of a console (as opposed to a PC/phone) now: "a single-purpose device for entertainment.”
A console vs. a smartphone: “Consoles will be located in a house, they have a power source, you will be interacting with a controller with a thumbstick and buttons…"
May 5, 2021 • 88 tweets • 14 min read
Apple/Epic trial Day 3 starts in 30. We’ll hear more from Nvidia’s Aashish Patel, then Lori Wright of Xbox, Epic’s Andrew Grant and Thomas Ko — and then our first Apple exec, Matthew Fischer. Here’s what happened yesterday theverge.com/2021/5/4/22419…
If this week’s pattern holds, there’s a good chance we won’t get to Fischer today. And per an earlier tweet, I’ll be on around 45 minutes late to livetweet, with my colleague @tomwarren listening in before that.
