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WhatsApp begins sharing account data with Facebook to boost targeted advertising

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 25, 2016

Facebook-owned WhatsApp today updated its Terms and Privacy Policy for the first time in four years to reflect that the messaging service will start sharing select account data with Facebook in order to improve targeted advertising. Wait, does that mean that you're going to be inundated with ads on WhatsApp? In a word, no—at least for the time being. As per the amended terms of service, “We still do not allow third-party banner ads on WhatsApp.”

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New ad positions iPad Pro as a computer replacement

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 1, 2018

Apple on Monday released a new commercial for its iPad Pro line. Titled "What's a Computer," the ad spotlights the firm's latest and most powerful tablet, showing off various productivity and multitasking features that one might desire from a PC.

This isn't the first time Apple has suggested that the iPad Pro is powerful enough to replace your computer or laptop, but it is the first time it has done so blatantly in an ad. It's so flagrant, in fact, that it almost has a Microsoft Surface feeling to it.

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Apple posts two new ‘Shot on iPhone’ videos showcasing camera capabilities

Cody Lee ∙ July 19, 2016

Following up the two clips it released earlier this week, Apple on Tuesday posted another pair of new 'Shot on iPhone' videos to its YouTube channel. The new ads follow the now-familiar structure with 15-second runtimes and catchy soundtracks paired with engaging footage.

The first video, shot by Robert S. in Bregenz, Austria, shows a first-person view of Robert zip-lining. The second video has more of an artsy vibe. Shot by Mark Z. in Manhattan, New York, it features a young woman with her hair flowing in the wind, captured using slow motion.

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‘Shot on iPhone’ continues with a pair of new videos highlighting Slo-Mo video capture

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 18, 2016

It's been a while since Apple released any new 'Shot on iPhone' work by its fans in the form of slideshow videos. This morning, however, a pair of new clips surfaced on the company's official channel on YouTube, each running fifteen seconds long and highlighting videos scenes captured on an iPhone using a slow-motion feature.

Each clip highlights work by a different user, one located in Tel-Aviv, Israel and the other in Greater Sudbury of Canada's Ontario.

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When Apple turns an ad campaign into a local photography exhibition

Sébastien Page ∙ June 29, 2016

Apple is launching a new Shot on iPhone ad campaign, focusing once again on what the company sees as one of the iPhone's greatest features: the cameras.

Called Colors, this campaign features photos with bright and vivid colors. But maybe the most interesting part of the campaign is that the photos featured are all sourced in the local markets where the billboards are being displayed.

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We wanted better App Store search results, but we got ads instead

Sébastien Page ∙ June 21, 2016

Search in the App Store is something both users and developers have been complaining about for years, because quite frankly, it’s terrible. Unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, you’re more than likely to not find anything really relevant when typing in basic search terms.

With Phil Schiller now in charge of App Stores, we were all hoping for some big changes, and to be fair, there have been. App review times have tremendously improved, for instance. Personally, I was hoping that Apple would finally fix search in the App Store, but instead, the company gave us search ads.

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Taylor Swift dances to “The Darkness” like no one’s watching in latest Apple Music ad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 17, 2017

We've already seen pop singer Taylor Swift wipe out on the treadmill and drop a mic like a pro in a pair of amusing television commercials for Apple's $9.99 per month subscription music service. This morning, she tweeted out another short video created to promote Apple Music. “Dance like no one's watching,” reads the tweet. In the new video, Swift dances around her living room to The Darkness' song “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”.

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A bunch of new ads for the Apple Watch have surfaced on Apple’s YouTube channel

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 11, 2016

More than half a dozen new commercials for the Apple Watch surfaced Monday on the company's official channel on YouTube. Titled “Rain”, “Surprise”, “Golf”, “SWAP”, “Find”, “Chase” and “Row”, these ads are fifteen seconds each and showcase specific facets of the wearable device, such as changing bands and switching faces to suit any occasion, fitness and activity tracking and more.

They also highlight specific first-party apps, including the Messages and Workout apps, as well as third-party ones like the Dark Sky weather app while detailing other capabilities of the device such as pinging a connected iPhone right from a glance.

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Apple Music posts anniversary playlist with 40 songs from Apple ads

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 5, 2016

On April 1, 2016, Apple turned 40. The company's music streaming service, Apple Music, is celebrating the milestone with a special playlist, titled 'Apple 40', that includes forty songs from various Apple ads to “celebrate 40 years of ideas, innovation and culture.”

Some of the songs included in the playlist come from Steve Jobs's favorite artists—Bob Dylan and The Beatles—in addition to other artists such as Coldplay, Gorillaz and more.

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Siri stars in the new Apple TV ad, ‘The Kiss’

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 24, 2016

Apple's just aired a brand new television commercial to promote its fourth-generation Apple TV, and it's all about voice capabilities that are built into the new set-top box and activated by pressing a dedicated button on the Siri Remote that ships with the device.

The 60-second ad, titled 'The Kiss' and starring Alison Brie and Game of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), is really amusing and well worth watching, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

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