New Media M.A. Research Blog | Media Studies, University of Amsterdam

Don’t Leave the Light On: Visualizing Privacy in iOS14

The iOS14 update offers new forms of visualizing privacy, through features such as the camera indicator light and (still forthcoming) opt-in tracking. Rather than put pressure on the developer, these features act to visualize the continued shift of power...

By Max Buzzell on 09/28/20 Comments Off

Designing identities with Memojis – Apple’s animated avatars

Apple's new feature - Memoji - allows its users to design animated versions of their digital characters, which can be later shared with other iOS device owners. What does an introduction of this affordance entail for human practices of...

By Zuzanna Kędzia on 09/28/20 Comments Off

Life is not a game or is it? The rise of Fortnite and it’s real life battles

Fortnite is a cooperative, battle royale style, online video game, released in 2017. The game has gained huge popularity and has made Epic Games, its developer, billions of dollars. It has also brought about a new way for people...

By Ilian Velasco on 09/27/20 Comments Off

Shattering a totalitarian monopoly?

This blog post covers the struggle between Epic Games on one side and Apple and Google on the other. By suing Google and Apple over anti-competitive practices, Epic Games hopes to break the tight grip the platforms have on...

By David Dijkhuis on 09/24/20 Comments Off

“Hey, Siri…” “I am listening…”: Apple, Privacy & Siri

Summer 2019 was quite eventful for virtual assistants across platforms. The big five all got exposed for recording their virtual assistant users’ audio, Apple among them. Such revelations prompt the prior mentioned company to at first temporarily suspend the...

By Anna Strelkova on 09/22/19 Comments Off

C´mon Apple, you as well!? – The iOS 12 Update will calculate your trust score

September has been an important month for Apple so far. The new iPhones have launched and the new iOS update has managed to overshadow the excitement of many Apple fans. One month ago, Facebook demonstrated a new way of...

By Luisa Zap on 09/24/18 Comments Off

Are we being mollycoddled by our phones; or are usage accountability measures a necessary intervention?

In June 2018, Apple announced that functions on their latest iOS update were intended ‘to help customers understand and take control of the time they spend interacting with their iOS devices’(Apple, 2018). In the same month, Google announced its...

By Joe Burkinshaw on 09/24/18 Comments Off

The iPhone nudge and the choice to budge

Every time you reach into your pocket for your iPhone (sorry to exclude non-iPhone users) you’re prompted with a security code, unless this feature has been disabled. Your options are entering a 4 to 6 numerical code or...

By Phil Creamer on 09/25/17 Comments Off

iPhone Face ID: Privacy issues we should worry about

On September 12th 2017, the new iPhone X was introduced by CEO Tim Cook during an Apple event that took place at the Steve Jobs Theatre in the Apple Park. Due to its features, this smartphone is considered to be the most...

By Amber de Zeeuw on 09/25/17 Comments Off

Big tech goes to war over Augmented reality (AR) dominance

In the year between June 2016 and June 2017, AR went from being a fun optional technology in a handful apps - like Pokémon GO – to becoming a vital part of the future strategy for every technology company...

By Ståle Grut on 09/24/17 Comments Off

“All I need is your face”: Issues of privacy and security as Apple introduces FaceID.

Apple revealed its latest tech miracle, Iphone X, and alongside came a (not-so) new feature: FaceID. Apple suggests that biometric technology is the solution to security issues and personal identification. But in a data-based economy, more often than not,...

By Nefeli Gkoni on 09/24/17 Comments Off

Is Apple our Online-Privacy Vigilante?

Abstract: Apple purports that its new Intelligent Tracking Prevention Technology integrated in Safari browser prevents 3rd-party cookies from collecting users’ data, therefore, reducing online ads, and ultimately protecting users’ privacy. This paper challenges this by arguing that ITP’s functionality...

By K. Abdulghani on 09/24/17 Comments Off

The Future of Mass Surveillance Is Here (and We Are Excited About It)

On the 12th of September 2017 Apple announced the iPhone X, proclaiming that “the future is here”. According to the company the iPhone X contains multiple new technologies, one of which is Face ID. This new technology is described as...

By Yamila Bollen on 09/24/17 Comments Off

What Apple’s new cookie blocker says about platforms and privacy

Apple’s new built-in cookie blocker may be welcomed by most consumers, but what does it say about the power yielded by the company, which maintains vast amounts of data on its own users? If platforms are allowed to make...

By Liam Corcoran on 09/24/17 Comments Off

Breaking the illusion of Control: “Home -1.0”

Introduction: Idea and Aim of the Project A recent innovation towards ultimate control is Apple’s “Home” app, which can command all smart devices in a house, from lamps to locks. But who gains power with this app? Is it...

By Michel Blonk on 10/21/16 Comments Off

Gboard: The Ultimate iPhone Keyboard?

Google recently released a new app for iOS called Gboard which expands the keyboard with a built in search engine. With Gboard Google makes it possible to search without a browser. Instead of leaving the app you’re currently using...

By Maud Looij on 09/19/16 Comments Off

3D Touch improves our lives

It is hardly not to notice that the new iPhone 6s has a new feature, which has been announced last week on September 9th by Apple. The iPhone 6s has been featured with 3D Touch. Every iPhone has some improvements...

By Jennifer Swagers on 09/17/15 Comments Off

3D Touch is not a Game Changer – Because this is no longer playing games

In the words of one of the worlds most famous men, unbeaten in his self-confidence on stage and ability to use rhetorical strategy to convince others of his visions: “Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along...

By Julia Wissel on 09/17/15 Comments Off

UHD Format is Coming

The Seven Kingdoms Seven of the biggest IT companies are collaborating to createa new format for Ultra High Definition (UHD) video.This collaboration is called Alliance for Open Media and includes companies such as Google, Netflix and Microsoft. There’s also...

By Pepijn Bierhuizen on 09/14/15 Comments Off

Live Photo: the new “modern magic” of Apple’s iPhone 6

During a special media event organized on September 9th, in San Francisco, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, officially introduced to the public the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus. Alongside with user friendly updates...

By Daniela Demarchi on 09/14/15 Comments Off

Hey Siri, do you spy on me?

Hey Siri, a feature which comes along with the new Iphone 6S has caused quite a stir when it became known that Siri (Apples Artificial Intelligence integration) could be activated on command by just calling “Hey Siri” to your device. This functionality...

By Rosa Boon on 09/14/15 Comments Off

Apple’s and U2’s unsolicited music release: gift or spam?

On the 9th of September Apple published a press release titled ‘Apple & U2 Release “Songs of Innocence” Exclusively for iTunes Store Customers’. In this press release Apple announced that together with the famous rock band U2 they will release U2’s new album...

By Richelle Werners on 09/18/14 Comments Off

Apple Watch Out

Just five days ago, on September 9th, Apple held another one of their famous Keynote presentations. On this particular ‘Special Event’, Apple introduced, among other new software and hardware releases, their new and already highly hyped wearable: the Apple...

By Thom on 09/16/14 Comments Off

Is it cyborg o’clock yet?

This year has been exceptionally fruitful for the fans of wearable technology. Last week, we were introduced to a new child of the wearable technology era: the Apple Watch. On September 9, Apple revealed its own long-anticipated smartwatch –...

By Polina Boykova on 09/16/14 Comments Off