Apple TV+ free, $95 million fine for Siri
Apple has announced that its streaming service Apple TV+ will be free this weekend, January 4th and 5th. During these days, you can stream a selection of films and TV shows from the Apple TV+ portfolio without paying anything. Of course, this doesn’t apply to every single country in the world – Apple TV+’s reach is still quite limited.
So before you get too excited, be sure to check out the list of countries where Apple TV+ is available for free this weekend. To do this, simply click on the Apple TV+ homepage and then on the country name in the bottom right corner. The list should then appear at the top.
To access the free offer, you will also need an Apple ID, which you can use to log into Apple TV+. The selection, which is made available free of charge, includes new seasons of Silo, Shrinking and Bad Sisters, the new series Presumed Innocent, all episodes of Severance, Dark Matter, For All Mankind, Ted Lasso, The Morning Show and Foundation.
Golden Globe nominees include Slow Horses and Disclaimer, as well as films such as Fly Me to the Moon, The Family Plan, Wolfs and The Instigators. By the way, you can always start a free 7-day trial and simply binge-watch as many series as your coffee machine can handle.
Apple agrees to $95 million penalty in Siri lawsuit
Apple has agreed to make a cash payment of $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the voice assistant Siri records private conversations. The first settlement was submitted to federal court in Oakland, California on Tuesday and is now awaiting approval from the US district judge.
The current class action lawsuit alleges that Apple regularly recorded conversations after the voice assistant was inadvertently activated. Those recorded conversations were subsequently shared with third parties, including advertisers. Plaintiffs say they were offered products such as Air Jordan sneakers, dining experiences at Olive Garden, and even a certain type of surgical treatment that they had previously discussed confidentially with a doctor.
The class period runs from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024—the entire time that Siri is part of the Apple ecosystem. Class members will receive $20 for each Siri-enabled device, including iPhones and Apple Watches. Plaintiffs’ attorneys did not comment, and Apple has denied any wrongdoing.
According to Reuters, the $95 million settlement represents about nine hours of profit for Apple, as the company reported $93.74 billion in its last fiscal year.
