«Самоубийца». Н. Эрдман.
МХТ им. А. П. Чехова.
Постановка и сценография Николая Рощина.

Пока пьесу «Самоубийца» запрещали в 30-е годы прошлого века к постановке и у Мейерхольда, и даже у Станиславского, несмотря на его личное письмо-просьбу к Сталину, сам ее автор Николай Эрдман был арестован. Случилось это с ним прямо на съемках фильма «Веселые ребята», сценарий которого он написал. Мы обычно не связываем эти события друг с другом. Мы не придаем значения тому факту, что солидная часть музыкальной кинокомедии происходит в присутствии катафалка и в окружении похоронных принадлежностей. Ведь это же так смешно и так, в сущности, безобидно! А, между тем, Эрдман явно разрабатывал «гробовой» сюжет, который кочевал у него из сочинения в сочинение. Конечно, в пьесе «Самоубийца» все устроено гораздо сложнее, нежели в киносценарии, но ведь и тут — комедия, и ее тексты просто убийственно смешны.

Переписка Марины Дмитревской и Максима Каменских о Лаборатории воронежской драматургии

Марина Дмитревская — Максиму Каменских

Максим, привет!

Вот уже несколько дней, как мы вернулись и закрутились с делами, а ведь пора отдавать долг чести и рассказать читателям и коллегам о двух насыщенных и, я бы сказала, радостных днях, которые мы провели в Воронеже на лаборатории так называемого «Драмкружка».

Суть дела в том, что четверо — Станислав Смольянинов, Екатерина Рыжкова, Анна Колтырина и Арик Киланянц, называющие себя «Драмкружок», — решили создать в Воронеже движение драматургов. Собрали людей, полгода работали, написали пьесы, много пьес, руководителем позвали Ярославу Пулинович, она приглашала к занятиям то Дмитрия Данилова, то Олжаса Жанайдарова...

«Сутра золотого света».
Театр-лаборатория Эрмитажа «Чудесный источник».
Мастерская Яны Туминой.

Спектакль «Сутра золотого света» наполнен светом. Он буквально везде. В кукольном представлении о принце Шакьямуни. В словах-молитве о счастье всех людей. В трепетном отношении к культуре Востока.

«Сутра золотого света» — священный текст махаяны, одного из направлений буддизма. Считается, что пока слова сутры не перестанут звучать, в мире сохранится учение. В тексте рассказывается несколько легенд о Будде Шакьямуни, есть наставление царям и исповедь. В спектакле истории из сутры не разыгрываются. Священный текст становится скорее поводом, вдохновением для авторов постановки.

«Счастье мое». А. Червинский.
Театр им. Ленсовета.
Режиссер Андрей Сидельников, художник Дмитрий Разумов.

Время такое — ревизия базовых гуманитарных ценностей. В том числе драматургических.

Где-то, говорят, поставили «Утиную охоту», в финале которой Зилов не стреляется, а возвращается к Галине для постройки крепко-скрепной семьи.

Сама видела «Варшавскую мелодию» с отчетливым намеком на завершение истории Гелены и Виктора близким хеппи-эндом.

«Камера обскура». В. Набоков.
Санкт-Петербургский государственный театр «Драм. площадка».
Постановка и инсценировка Сергея Бызгу, сценография Анвара Гумарова.

«Камера обскура» Сергея Бызгу напоминает кабаре, цирк и бродвейское шоу одновременно. В каком-то смысле это спектакль-головоломка: сюжет выдает такие крутые виражи, что ответить на вопрос «что здесь происходит?» не так-то просто. Возможно, все дело в том, что Магда Петерс снимается в кино. Или попросту во всем виноват швейцар главного героя? Кстати, после этого спектакля вы точно запомните, как его зовут: Шиффермюллер.

«Восемь снов». По мотивам пьесы М. А. Булгакова «Бег».
Малый драматический театр — Театр Европы.
Постановка и сценография Яны Туминой.

Посмотрев «Сны» накануне и вспоминая их утром следующего дня, над всем и за всем спектаклем я видел Екатерину Тарасову, играющую Серафиму. А открыв интернет, сразу наткнулся на ее фотографию, выложенную в связи с премьерой режиссером Яной Туминой. Тоненькая, в легком платье с большим вырезом, с детской вертушкой в руке и с нездешним взглядом, устремленным вдаль.

О Режиссерской лаборатории «Вперед в прошлое / Назад в будущее» в Городском театре

Городской театр, долгое время интеллигентно прятавшийся в саду Сен-Жермен, обрел вторую площадку на Галерной улице. Пространство освоили символично — жизнь Галерной началась с показа эскизов V Режиссерской лаборатории. В последний раз Городской театр проводил лабораторию в 2021 году. Получается, назад в новую жизнь? По крайней мере, театр предлагает такую возможность, обозначив тему «Вперед в прошлое / Назад в будущее». Об искажениях-отражениях времени и исторических рифмах рассуждали молодые режиссеры, а вместе с ними и молодежная редакция «ПТЖ».

В поименном регистре авторов «ПТЖ» написанное рукой Анны Федоровны значится только со ссылками на бумажные номера журнала. Для «ПТЖ» она автор особенный, уникальный, от которого ждешь и получаешь несуетное проникновение в ткань спектакля, суть проблемы. В образе ее мысли — ценнейший симбиоз традиции, энциклопедических знаний, филигранной точности оценок, концепций и анализа. Она словно видит серебристую паутину синапсов вселенского разума, связывающую наше периферическое настоящее с сердцевиной мировой культуры. Любая беседа с ней — интереснейший, вдохновляющий, заряжающий опыт для студентов и состоявшихся ученых. Анна Федоровна по-прежнему генерирует энергию, словно солнце, готовое освещать и просвещать всех, независимо от возраста и опыта. Главное, чтобы был интерес к знаниям, чтобы было желание ухватиться за традицию, которую с такой яркостью представляет она сама. «Петербургский театральный журнал» поздравляет Анну Федоровну Некрылову, своего ценнейшего автора и друга, с юбилеем и присоединяется к сердечным словам ее коллег по науке и театру.

This comic was originally posted in 2009.

Thoughts from 1/4/2021: Westley, or as he was called here on the site, German, which is a joke that I'm still very proud of, passed away in 2018 but shows up every now and then on the internet because of this particular comic. The URL was removed from that image because of course it was, but it's weird seeing other people present your old dog off and on. I like this one in particular because it reminds me I snuck Westley into the chemical engineering building at Cornell for about 30 minutes just to make this comic and no one noticed that I'd done it. I'm not sure if I would have gotten in trouble or if the sight would have been so confusing that they wouldn't have known what to make of it.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2014.

Thoughts from 1/1/2021: I really nailed that pose. Also, 2021 just looks weird.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2009.

Thoughts from 12/31/2020: I continue to like Semisonic's "This Will Be My Year" as an ode to hoping the best for the new year, but Mac McCaughan's "Happy New Year (Prince Can't Die Again)" has been pretty appropriate for every year since it came out at the end of 2016.

I wish you and all of yours the best in the 2021. I sincerely hope that it comes to you and all of us. And I will put in the action that I can to help make sure we're not just relying on hope - and I ask you to do the same.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2016.

Thoughts from 12/30/2020: This one is very weird and I may have had many rumballs by the time I made it. But this has been a weird year so why not run with it.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2014.

Thoughts from 12/29/2020: There are a few general comics that would have made for good book collections on their own, and the anatomy ones like this would have been a relatively good option.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2017.

Thoughts from 12/28/2020: This feels extremely true when the holidays line up with a pandemic as well.

The biggest transition that occurs over the run of STW wasn't the slow ravages of kids and students and time having their way with me, but the switch to near-constant wordplay as opposed to searching the internet for ideas to make comics about.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2011.

Thoughts from 12/25/2020: If anything, it seems pretty likely that this turned out to be true for 2019. We always wondered what would happen, and the answer is apparently 2020?

Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, as best as they can possibly be.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2016.

Thoughts from 12/24/2020: I remember being so insanely proud of this one for being clever. Most readers were super blah about it. So it goes.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2011.

Thoughts from 12/23/2020: My kids haven't asked me yet because they still believe, but when they do, I'm absolutely going to be pushing this explanation, are you kidding?

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2016.

Thoughts from 7/19/2020: This one must have come to me in a fever dream. Anyway, this was from theSwede's and my 8th anniversary, and now it's the 12th. Hurray or something.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2009.

Thoughts from 7/6/2020: Not to worry, third hands will just go away on their own. Nothing to worry about here.

I remember being particularly pleased with how elastic my face could be back in some of these comics. Alas, as time passes ...

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2017.

Thoughts from 7/4/2020: I don't think the strength of those morals have improved at all in the last few years, either.

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2017.

Thoughts from 7/3/2020: The best part about this comic is that it is still true and we can just reflect on a different subset of society this time. For some reason, and I can't figure out why, it's been very hard for me to celebrate July 4th the last few years ...

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2009.

Thoughts from 7/1/2020: Halfway through the year and I'm sure those resolutions are going well, right? This year in particular ...

Donate to Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2017.

Thoughts from 6/30/2020: There's a lot of pro-LGBTQ comics throughout STW, which was probably a sign to some extent that I was hiding a part of my queerness throughout the run of the comic, even if I didn't know that I was NB until a month or so after this specific comic came out, actually. I can regret the lost time but I don't think I'd be in the solid place I am now if I had come out earlier, so I try to keep that in mind (even if I often fail at doing so). Anyway, today is the last day of Pride Month for 2020 and to keep in mind the protests of the last month, there wouldn't be the degree of LGBTQ rights that there are now if it hadn't been for Black trans women like Marsha P. Johnson leading the way in the first place. So here's to those who fight for who they are and have the courage to exist despite the world trying to keep them in the shadows.

Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This comic was originally posted in 2010 for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Thoughts from 6/16/2020: Didn't expect that full win yesterday. Thought they would find a way to split the baby. I'll take every simple win they'll give us.

Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: >When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This is the bare utter minimum that I can do and will do, but it's a start. Hopefully this will help make the title of this comic be a real-world existence for more people.

These comics were originally posted in 2011, 2012, 2017, and 2018, respectively.

Thoughts from 6/10/2020: Sprite had to be put down today. We were insanely fortunate to have her as part of our family for so long - we had her since 2006 - but no 14-year-old cat lives forever. She was easily the greatest cat I've ever had, the cat that changed my entire perspective on her species. She used to come running if I called 'henchman!' so she would watch Red Sox games with me. She ate the 4 pet birds we had when she broke their cage open. She would put her cat toys away at night before climbing into bed. She used to let me use her body to erase the chalkboard. She knew she was the boss of the house but she was incredibly sweet. The only reason it took over 800 comics for her to show up on STW before becoming the first cat TA was that I couldn't sneak her into Cornell engineering buildings like I could the dog. I'm heartbroken today.

There are bigger crises at hand right now, and this loss is certainly not equivalent. But it's still a big loss to me.

Black Lives Matter / Coronavirus help: >When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This is the bare utter minimum that I can do and will do, but it's a start. Hopefully this will help make the title of this comic be a real-world existence for more people.

This comic was originally posted in 2017.

Thoughts from 6/7/2020: The flags at the bottom were for trans rights, given when this originally posted, but given the current Black Rights Matter protest, and JKR even further torpedoing her legacy yesterday with her transphobia (happy Pride, by the way), this comic seems like it meets the current moment well enough.

When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This is the bare utter minimum that I can do and will do, but it's a start. Hopefully this will help make the title of this comic be a real-world existence for more people.

This comic was originally posted in 2017.

Thoughts from 6/6/2020: This comic originally ran with pretty straightforward commentary underneath: "White supremacists can go to hell. And any other monsters like them can go to hell as well. And may the rest of us never join them, actively or passively."

I never explicitly said it in STW and I should have, but Black Lives Matter.

When STW ended, we made a book of the best 300 comics. You can buy the PDF of the book right now, and all sales are going to go to support Black Lives Matter, and foodbanks in need because of the coronavirus. And there's more. You can also buy all the videos ever made for STW, including many that were not openly shared, and all sales are also going to the same causes.

This is the bare utter minimum that I can do and will do, but it's a start. Hopefully this will help make the title of this comic be a real-world existence for more people.

Contributors this month include 2cross2affliction, dronon, earthfurst, GreenReaper, and Rakuen Growlithe.

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If there's one furry series I should be completely behind, but have always been a bit down on, it's Illumination's Sing franchise. The series is set in a completely furry world, with a complete lack of humans – something I can always get behind. And yet, I can't ever quite get behind them.

I think if I had to put my finger on what's wrong, it's that the Sing movies feel like the Illumination version of Oscar bait, being behind the scenes musicals that ostensibly celebrate the performing arts, something Academy Awards voters should, in theory, love; and yet, they can't even get the easy lay up of Best Original Song, which is straightforwardly embarrassing for movies called, well, Sing. It's not that they're failed Oscar Bait, it's that they're not going for Best Picture, or even Best Animated Feature, but simply seem to be aiming to be nominated in that category. They're not aiming for the top, and they're still missing!

Or maybe I'm just being too hard on them, and displacing my own Oscar obsessions on this otherwise innocuous series of jukebox musicals with no higher goal than to be entertaining bits of fluff. The newest entry in the franchise, if it can be called that, is just that. Sing: Thriller is a short available on Netflix, and it features a simple take on a nightmare zombie apocalypse, but furry and kid-friendly; an obvious homage to Michael Jackson's Thriller. It's definitely for kids, with a rating of TV-Y, for "fear", which I think would only apply to the absolute youngest viewers.

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"It's a brutal world for all of us, really, and some aspects of it are not comfortable for the sentimental or the squeamish. Somehow that's never dimmed my love for all animals. I celebrate their beauty, even the darker side of it." (Introduction, The Book of Deadly Animals)

"The predators far outnumbered the vegetarians."
(last words, The Red Hourglass: Lives of the Predators)

It's October, the "spooky" month with Halloween at the end of it; I sometimes take advantage of that to bring to light something a bit more horror themed than the usual Flayrah fare.

This year, I'd like to share the non-fiction books of Gordon Grice, which are about animals and their sometimes very tense relationship with man, because they are some of the scariest things I've ever read, and so appropriate enough under the "it's about animals and it's spooky" month to stretch the boundaries of what a furry publication can cover. Furthermore, from a personal angle, Grice spent much of his life where I'm originally from, the Oklahoma Panhandle (we share a birth town), and I occasionally like to shine a light on what would be to me local authors.

"The Red Hourglass: Lives of the Predators", Delacourte Press, 1998, 259 pages, Kindle $5.99, hardcover $19.32, paperback $17.10
"The Book of Deadly Animals", Penguin Books Ltd., 2010, xxvii + 383 pages, Kindle $4.99, paperback $24.00, illustrated, originally published as Deadly Kingdom

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WARNING: READ BEFORE PLAYING

Liar's Bar contains intense and graphic depictions of violence and death, themes of suicide, and other mature content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Player discretion is adviced. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please seek help from a qualified professional or contact a local mental health service. Your well-being is important to us, and we encourage players to prioritize their mental health while engaging with our game.

The game features mature themes, and is intended for adult audiences only. If you are under 16, please step outside.

This warning is one of the first things you see after booting up Liar's Bar. I want to stress, and I don't care what you think of "trigger warnings", this warning is not kidding. This is a messed up, repugnant game; I think I kind of love it. (It also contains depictions of tobacco use.)

Okay, real talk, this is kind of a dark streak of submissions from this contributor (thank goodness for animated movies ... with jokes about infant mortality!), this game might be the most worrisome yet. I retweeted some fan art of the game, then realized, out of context, that might not look like something entirely, well, healthy to be reposting. Because the marquis attraction of Liar's Bar is that it's basically a furry Russian roulette simulator. Just so you know what you're getting into.

Liar's Bar is published by Curve Animation, and is currently available on Steam for $6.99, where it is still an "Early Access" game.

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In this episode!

• This episode can hold so much charities!Breaking last years record! But by how much?
• Animations from around the web
• An interview with Labb Rat, known for her commentary videos, about the importance of caring about mental health and escaping toxic environments.

But first, the latest charity news from the fandom in this October edition of Digging Up Positivity and boy are here a lot of them! Do keep in mind, all amounts are converted to US dollars.

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We have another GIANT list of games this season for the Fall 2024 Steam Next Fest! We're looking forward to a ton of these, and have compiled as many as we could find with animals and/or anthropomorphic characters featured in them! Be sure to let us know of any others you find by commenting below!

We'll be playing some of these demos this week and next, and hopefully providing some previews and progress updates throughout development! Additionally, we have an actively updated Furry & Animal Games List over at @GamingFurever that you can follow and get updates for lots of indie titles with TONS of lovely furry characters!

If you're a developer of any of these games, feel free to hit us up on email over on our Contact Us page!

We're sure everyone will find at least a couple games that strike their fancy during this Next Fest!

Check out the full October list here!

The 2024 Good Furry Awards were presented this Tuesday, 15 October, at Biggest Little Fur Con.

This year saw the Award divided into three categories, the winners of which were:

• Image Award: Finn the Panther
• Furtastic Award: Spottacus Cheetah
• Good Egg Award: Shutter Karelian

Meanwhile, 2024's Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Albedo creator Steve Gallacci.

Chris Sanders has only directed four animated features (plus a live action adaptation Call of the Wild), and the previous three (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train your Dragon and The Croods put him in four way tie for most nominations without a win in the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars. It feels pretty certain that The Wild Robot will be the movie that finally wins him that Oscar, but we'll keep such speculation to a minimum.

Sanders's first feature, Lilo & Stitch, is probably the only truly great movie to come out of Walt Disney Animation Studios in the first decade of this century. (To be clear, you're allowed to like other movies from that decade, but most were flawed.) Anyway, the upshot of Lilo & Stitch becoming a beloved classic is that its directors, Sanders and his writing and directing partner, Dean Deblois, were driven out of Disney by John Lasseter a few years later (I don't like that guy).

Sanders and Deblois took their talents to DreamWorks Animation, where they delivered How to Train Your Dragon to the studio, often seen as one of the highlights of its output.

I've often seen Sanders cast as the "idea guy" in the Sanders/Deblois partnership, as well as being the guy who brings a lot of unique visual aspects to his projects, while Deblois is the more story-driven member of the partnership, bringing in the emotional aspects. I'm not so sure about that, especially after this movie, which features an emotional story just as potent as Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon, sans Deblois. The Wild Robot also features a visual design that echoes the original illustrations of the book it's based on, by Peter Brown, showing Sanders is more than just a recognizable art style.

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In the wake of the devastation rendered by Hurricane Helene, Carolina Furfare released a newsletter on October 1 stating the cancellation of the event that was to occur this weekend, and indicating that the hotels and facilities were needed in order to assist with rescue and sheltering efforts after the Hurricane hit the mountainous region.

This weather event hit the top ten most fatal and costly hurricanes in the United States even before full recovery efforts could be finalized. People who pre-registered have been given the option to roll over to next year, or to Bewhiskered 2025; due to the cancellation being so close to event day they cannot guarantee refunds for now.

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Animalities have returned to Mortal Kombat. Players of the infamous fighting game series can finish a defeated opponent off by transforming into an animal and brutally mauling them death for the first time since 1995's Mortal Kombat 3 with the "Khaos Reigns" update to Mortal Kombat 1.

So, what follows is a list of every Mortal Kombatant's fursonas, basically, from Mortal Kombat 1. Two warnings: In explaining different characters roles, there may be spoilers for the games, and also, extreme, over the top violence and gore is the point of Animalities.

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In iOS 18, Apple has introduced a clever new way to identify if your iPhone charging setup is running at less than optimal speeds. The new feature appears directly in Settings, making it easy to spot when you're not getting the fastest possible charge.


The Battery section displays a Slow Charger message when your iPhone detects a "slow" charger in use. You'll also see charging periods with an orange bar. This visual indicator appears in both the 24-hour and 10-day battery usage views.

What Makes a Charger "Slow"?

• Wired chargers providing 7.5W or less power


• Standard Qi1 wireless chargers (less than 10W)


• USB ports in cars or hubs


• Chargers with multiple connected devices sharing power

Common Causes of Slow Charging

Several situations can slow down your iPhone's charging speed. A counterfeit charger could be the culprit, for example. Even some authentic third-party wireless chargers claim MagSafe compatibility but only deliver standard Qi charging speeds.


If you keep accessories like headphones connected during wireless charging, your device automatically limits power to 7.5W to meet safety standards. Running demanding apps, playing graphics-intensive games, or streaming video at high brightness while charging can also reduce charging speeds as your iPhone manages power and heat. Lastly, it's worth bearing in mind that charging in a warm environment may cause your iPhone to temporarily pause charging until the temperature falls.

Get Faster Charging Speeds

To get the fastest possible charging speeds, you'll want to use a USB-C Power Delivery charger along with the appropriate cable - USB-C for iPhone 15 and later, or USB-C to Lightning for earlier models. Alternatively, you can opt for either Apple's MagSafe Charger or any Qi2-certified wireless charger, both of which provide significantly faster charging than standard Qi chargers.
This article, "How to Tell If You're Using a Slow iPhone Charger" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Mophie has three new Qi2 charging accessories available as of today from Apple retail stores, including a 3-in-1 Travel Charger, a Wireless Charging Vent Mount, and a Magnetic Vent Mount.


The $150 3-in-1 Travel Charger features a Qi2 MagSafe charging surface for the iPhone, which can provide up to 15W to a compatible ‌iPhone‌. It also has an Apple Watch charger that offers up to 7.5W for fast charging Apple Watch Series 7 models and later, and a 5W AirPods charging surface.

A 40W wall adapter is included for charging all three devices at once, and it comes with international plug configurations for the United States, UK, European Union, and Australia. The ‌iPhone‌ charging surface can be used while flat or while lifted up, and in the lifted mode, it is compatible with StandBy.

The charger folds up in half so that it can easily be tucked away in a backpack or a suitcase when traveling, plus Mophie includes a Travel Case that holds the charger and the power adapter that comes with it.

Mophie's $70 Wireless Car Vent Mount provides up to 15W for charging a compatible ‌iPhone‌ with Qi2. It is designed to connect to a vent using an adjustable hook, and it has a wide base that holds the ‌iPhone‌ securely in place.


The mount can tilt and swivel so that the viewing angle can be optimally adjusted, and one hand can be used to mount the ‌iPhone‌ and remove it. The vent attachment works on car vents up to 41mm deep, and Mophie includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, a 20W USB-C car adapter, and two cable management clips.

If in-car charging isn't needed, Mophie also has a $30 Car Vent Mount that holds an ‌iPhone‌ in place via ‌MagSafe‌, allowing it to be used for navigation, hands-free calls, and more. With the exception of charging capabilities, it is identical to the Wireless Mount, featuring multiple viewing angles, one-handed operation, and a strong magnetic hold.

Mophie's new products can be purchased from the Apple online store or in Apple retail locations.

This article, "Mophie Launches New Qi2 Car Charger and 3-in-1 Travel Charger" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released a new Gold Link Bracelet, which is available for $349. The band was first shown off when Apple introduced new Apple Watch Series 10 models, but it was not available for purchase in September.


The gold version of the Link Bracelet is identical to the natural and slate options, but it is designed to match the stainless steel Apple Watch Series 10 that comes in the same gold color. It is made from 316L stainless steel alloy with a custom butterfly closure.

Apple sells the Gold Link Bracelet in both 42mm and 46mm sizes to fit all Apple Watch models. The 46mm version fits 44mm to 49mm Apple Watch models, while the 42mm model fits 38mm to 42mm models. Apple is also selling a kit with additional links for larger wrists.

If ordered online today, the Gold Link Bracelet will arrive between December 20 and December 30. It is not yet available for Apple Store pickup.
This article, "Apple Releases $350 Gold Link Bracelet for Apple Watch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has considered building its own line of smart home accessories, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple could manufacture smart home cameras and other devices that would connect to its HomeKit smart home platform and that would tie in with a planned smart home "command center" that could come out as soon as next year.


As one example, Gurman suggests Apple could create an indoor security camera that could also be used as a baby monitor, which is in line with a report we heard from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo yesterday.

Kuo claimed that Apple is designing a smart home camera that will be manufactured starting in 2026, with Apple planning to sell "tens of millions" of the devices over the long term. Kuo says that the cameras that Apple is working on will have wireless connectivity and deep integration with Apple Intelligence and Siri.

Gurman does not seem as sure that Apple will follow through on plans to create its own smart home products. He says that it's something Apple is "exploring" that could be prioritized should its upcoming smart home hub device turn out to be a success.

Apple would likely emphasize privacy with its smart home cameras, providing an alternative to cameras from companies like Amazon's Ring and Google's Nest. Ring has been derided for its privacy policies over the years, primarily because it had a "Request for Assistance" tool that allowed law enforcement officials to request video footage from Ring customers. Ring has provided police officers with Ring camera footage without notifying users, and reserves the right to do so in emergency situations. Google's Nest brand also says that it will provide police with smart home camera footage in emergency situations without a warrant.

Apple is known for having strong privacy protections, and it is possible that customers would trust a smart home camera from Apple more than a smart home camera from a company like Ring. Apple already designed a ‌HomeKit‌ protocol for cameras called HomeKit Secure Video, which is end-to-end encrypted.

Prior to coming out with any smart home accessories, Apple plans to release an iPad-like smart home display that will serve as a home hub. The smart home device, which is set to come out as soon as March 2025, will run apps and will control ‌HomeKit‌ and Matter-based accessories.

This article, "Apple Might Make Smart Home Products Like Cameras" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is planning to launch an AI-powered smart home display as soon as March 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The display will measure in at approximately six inches, and while it is similar to an iPad, it is square rather than rectangular and it has thick bezels around the edges. There is a camera at the top front so that it can be used for FaceTime, plus there are internal speakers for playing music and a built-in rechargeable battery.


Apple will offer the hub in silver and black, and it will use a touch-based interface. The operating system will look like a mix of the iPhone's StandBy mode and watchOS, though it will primarily be controlled by voice. Apple plans to integrate Apple Intelligence for accessing apps and controlling smart home products, and it was designed around App Intents, a Siri system that will be able to control apps and tasks.

Apple designed a customizable home screen with widgets that can be used to show things like the weather and upcoming appointments, a photo slideshow, or important home controls. A software-based dock will be available for launching apps, and multiple systems in different rooms will work as intercoms. Apple plans to focus on security as well, providing alerts and camera footage from connected smart home cameras.

Built-in sensors will be able to determine how close a person is standing to the device, and it can adjust features from there. When no one is nearby, for example, it might show the temperature, but as someone approaches, it can switch to an interface for adjusting the thermostat, much like Nest thermostats. It could also detect how many people are nearby using external sensors that plug into outlets throughout the home, but Apple may or may not manufacture these extra sensors.

In addition to offering smart home controls and FaceTiming features, the device will include several Apple apps like Safari, Apple News, Apple Music, Notes, Calendar, and Photos, but there will not be a dedicated App Store. Apple is designing different attachments, such as a plate for attaching it to the wall and a base with additional speakers for using it in a central location in the home.

Apple plans to position the smart display as a "command center," with the aim of furthering Apple's position in the smart home market. The smart home hub has been in development for more than three years, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has been pushing the engineering and design teams to prioritize the device. It will be a standalone device, but it is meant to work in concert with other Apple products and will require an ‌iPhone‌ for setup.

With the smart home hub, Apple is looking to compete with Amazon and Google, who have similar devices. Amazon has the Echo Hub, and Google offers the Nest Hub Max. Apple will likely need to price the device similarly to these products, and the Echo Hub costs $150, while the Nest Hub Max costs $230.

While Apple has considered creating its own line of smart home accessories like an indoor security camera, it is not yet clear if the company will do so. Apple could get into accessories if the smart home display is a success. Earlier this week, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple was working on a smart home camera with wireless connectivity and deep integration with ‌Apple Intelligence‌, with Apple planning to launch the device in 2026.

In the future, Apple plans to release a robotic version of the smart home hub that can move the screen around, Gurman reports.

This article, "Apple to Launch AI-Powered Home 'Command Center' as Soon as March 2025" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple previously confirmed that iOS 18.2 will be released in December, and now a potential release date within the month has surfaced.


We believe that Apple is likely planning to release iOS 18.2 on Monday, December 9, based on a recent notice that British carrier EE provided to its customers. In the notice, EE said it will be discontinuing an iPhone feature known as "Wi-Fi calling on other supported iCloud-connected devices" on December 9. The feature enables users to make Wi-Fi calls on devices like the iPad and Mac, even when their iPhone is not nearby.

The second developer beta of iOS 18.2 last week came bundled with a new EE carrier settings version numbered 60.5.2, up from 59.5.1 on the first iOS 18.2 beta and iOS 18.1. The new carrier settings version removed the "Add Wi-Fi Calling For Other Devices" toggle from the Wi-Fi Calling section in the Settings app on iPhones used by EE customers, in line with the carrier announcing that it will stop offering the feature next month.

Most carrier setting updates are bundled with iOS updates, aside from ones with bug fixes, so EE has likely indirectly revealed that iOS 18.2 will be released on December 9. We are not absolutely certain about this date, but it is a very likely possibility.

iOS 18.2 being released on December 9 would not be very surprising. Apple already said the update was coming next month, many iOS updates are released on Mondays, and the second half of the month is pretty much ruled out due to the holiday season. Nevertheless, you can now mark your calendars a little more precisely.

iOS 18.2 includes additional Apple Intelligence features for iPhone 15 Pro models and all iPhone 16 models, including Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration for Siri, and more. On all compatible iPhones, the update also adds a new Defaults section in the Settings app, an item location sharing feature in the Find My app, and more.

(Thanks, Harvey!)

This article, "Apple Likely Planning to Release iOS 18.2 on December 9" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Popular repair site iFixit today disassembled one of Apple's new M4 Mac mini machines for a teardown video that gives us a more complete look at the inside of the device.

Compared to the prior version of the Mac mini, the M4 model is densely packed with little space between components, which is how Apple slimmed down the size so much. The ‌M4 Mac mini‌ measures in at 5x5 inches, down from 7.5x7.5 inches, a size reduction that makes a major difference.

The power supply module is a board that extends across the top of the case, a design that Apple has previously used for the HomePod. The power supply normally takes up a lot of space, so that's how Apple shrunk it down without compromising performance.

In the middle of the ‌Mac mini‌, there's a fan that works with the redesigned thermal management system of the machine to pull in air from the environment, circulate it through each level of the ‌Mac mini‌, and then vent it out through the bottom. Because the M4 Pro versions of the ‌Mac mini‌ need more cooling power, Apple equipped them with a larger copper heatsink than the heatsink in the standard ‌M4 Mac mini‌ models.

iFixit is a little late to the ‌Mac mini‌ teardown, which means we have seen prior videos that provided some insight into the machine's internal components. We've already learned that the ‌Mac mini‌ has modular storage that can technically be upgraded after purchase, and iFixit confirmed that. iFixit swapped a 512GB SSD from one ‌M4 Mac mini‌ to another ‌M4 Mac mini‌ that had a 256GB SSD, and the swap was successful.

The M4 and M4 Pro ‌Mac mini‌ models use different NAND modules that aren't physically interchangeable, and iFixit was not able to use an M4 SSD in an M4 Pro ‌Mac mini‌, so users who plan to swap out their own storage will need to make sure to get the correct SSD for their device.

RAM for the ‌Mac mini‌ is tightly integrated into the M4 chip inside and is not upgradeable after purchase, and the ports are also soldered, which can make replacement difficult.

iFixit found other components in the ‌Mac mini‌ are simple to swap out, and the site gave the ‌Mac mini‌ a repairability score of 7 out of 10 thanks to the easy to remove components, swappable SSD, and the detailed repair manuals that Apple made available. iFixit says users could get at least a decade of use out of the ‌M4 Mac mini‌.
This article, "iFixit Shares M4 Mac Mini Teardown" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today overhauled the App Store Connect app designed for developers, introducing version 2.0. Developers use App Store Connect to distribute and manage their apps for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro.


‌App Store‌ Connect 2.0 includes a refreshed UI throughout the app, as well as new capabilities. Developers are able to promote their apps by generating marketing assets for app launches, version updates, featured placements in the Today tab, and more.

These marketing assets that are generated for special moments can be shared on various social media channels for app promotion purposes.

‌App Store‌ Connect will also now send developers notifications when their app is featured in select placements on the Today tab, such as App of the Day or Game of the Day.

In addition to allowing for app management, ‌App Store‌ Connect also provides support for creating TestFlight betas, monitoring sales and trends, and responding to customer ratings and reviews.

This article, "App Store Connect for Developers Gains Refreshed UI, Feature Notifications and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming visionOS 2.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a little over a week after the first visionOS 2.2 beta.


visionOS 2.2 can be installed by going to the Software Update section of the Settings app on the Vision Pro and opting into Beta Updates.

The visionOS 2.2 update adds a new feature for the Mac Virtual Display option, allowing it to be set to Wide and Ultrawide. The Ultrawide setting is equivalent to two 4K displays side-by-side, and it is a notable improvement over the current Mac Virtual Display that's available in visionOS 2.1.

The Mac Virtual Display allows the Vision Pro to be connected to a Mac with the Vision Pro serving as the display for the machine. The virtual Mac desktop works just like a standard desktop with an external display, but Vision Pro does not support multiple displays. As a solution, Apple has added the option for a wider display to maximize space.

This article, "Apple Seeds Second Beta of visionOS 2.2 to Developers With Ultrawide Mac Virtual Display" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the second public betas of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates, allowing the public to continue testing new features ahead of when the software launches. The public betas come a day after Apple provided developers with new betas.


Public beta testers can download the updates from the Settings app on each device after opting into the beta through Apple's public beta testing website. Note that Apple has also released public betas for watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and the latest HomePod software.

iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ introduce the next Apple Intelligence features, including the first image generation capabilities.

The update adds Image Playground, a new app for creating images based on text descriptions. You can enter anything you want, though Apple will suggest costumes, locations, items, and more to add to an image. There are options to create characters that resemble your friends and family, and you can choose a photo for ‌Image Playground‌ to use as inspiration to create a related image. Elements added to ‌Image Playground‌ creations are previewed, and there is a preview history so you can undo a change and go back to a prior version.

While ‌Image Playground‌ is a standalone app, it is also integrated into Messages, Notes, Freeform, and more. ‌Image Playground‌ does not make photorealistic images and is instead limited to animation or illustration styles.

The update also adds Genmoji, which are customizable emoji characters that you can create based on descriptions and phrases. Like ‌Image Playground‌ creations, you can base them on your friends and family, with the data pulled from the People album in Photos. You can also make characters using basic elements, and you'll get multiple ‌Genmoji‌ suggestions to choose from. You can create ‌Genmoji‌ using the emoji keyboard.

‌Genmoji‌ are limited to iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 right now, and will be coming to ‌macOS Sequoia‌ later.

Siri in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.2 has ChatGPT integration. If ‌Siri‌ is unable to provide an answer to a question, ‌Siri‌ will hand the request over to ChatGPT, though ‌Siri‌ will need user permission first. ChatGPT will answer the question and relay the information back through ‌Siri‌.

ChatGPT can be used to create content from scratch, including text and images. No account is required to use ChatGPT integration, and Apple and OpenAI do not store requests.

If you have an iPhone 16, there's a Visual Intelligence feature in iOS 18.2 that provides information about what's around you. Open up the camera and point it at a restaurant to get reviews, or point it at an item to search Google for it.

Some other Visual Intelligence capabilities include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to Contacts, copying text, and summarizing text.

Apple added Writing Tools in iOS 18.1, but in iOS 18.2, you can more freely describe the tone or content change that you want to make, such as adding more action words, or turning an email into a poem.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ now supports localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the UK in addition to U.S. English.

Wait List

If you've already been testing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and are opted in, you will have access to Writing Tools, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence automatically.

There is a secondary waiting list for early access to use ‌Genmoji‌, ‌Image Playground‌, and Image Wand. You can sign up to get access in ‌Image Playground‌ or in the areas where you access ‌Genmoji‌ or Image Wand.

When you request access, you are added to a wait list for all three capabilities and you'll get a notification when the features are available for you to use. Apple will roll out access over time.

Availability and Compatibility

The public betas are available on all devices, but the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features require a device capable of ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Apple is still working on refining the new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ tools, and the company warns that ‌Genmoji‌, Image Wand, and ‌Image Playground‌ can sometimes give you results you weren't expecting. Apple is collecting feedback on these experiences and will refine them over time.

Release Date

Apple is expected to release the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and visionOS 2.2 updates in early December.
This article, "Apple Seeds Second Public Betas of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google today announced several new features for the Chrome browser that's available on the iPhone and the iPad, with the new additions aimed at providing users with more intuitive ways for finding information and completing tasks.


Google Lens now supports searching with images and text at the same time, rather than search being limited to just an image. Users can add words to a visual query to refine results and conduct more complex searches.

Google Drive and Google Photos users can now save content from the web directly to those services from Chrome, freeing up on-device storage space. To save a file to Google Drive from Chrome, tap on the Google Drive option. Saving an image to ‌Photos‌ from Chrome can be done by long pressing on the image and then selecting the Save in Google ‌Photos‌ option.

For U.S. users, Chrome on iOS is gaining Shopping Insights, which are designed to better surface deals. If Chrome has Shopping Insights for a product that a user is searching for, there will be a "Good Deal Now" notification in the address bar. The feature requires signing into Chrome and toggling on "Make Searches and Browsing Better."

When viewing a map of an address in Chrome, users will soon be able to tap an underlined address and see a more detailed mini-map of the location directly in the browser without having to swap over to Google Maps. Google says that it is experimenting with this feature and will roll it out globally over the coming months.

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Apple plans to add more health-related features to future AirPods models, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, and the upcoming Powerbeats Pro 2 might offer a hint.


We previously reported that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will offer heart rate monitoring during workouts, and perhaps that feature will extend to AirPods in the future. Based on our iOS 18 code findings, you will be able to connect the Powerbeats Pro 2 to gym equipment like a treadmill to measure heart rate, and the data will be visible in the Health app and other supported apps on the iPhone. Apple previously announced that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will be released in 2025, and AirPods Pro 3 are also rumored to launch next year.

Heart rate monitoring has in fact been rumored for the AirPods Pro multiple times, but the feature has yet to come to fruition. With the feature now seemingly ready for Powerbeats Pro 2, though, it could finally come to AirPods too.

AirPods are also rumored to gain body temperature sensing in the future, after the Apple Watch Series 8 and newer gained a wrist temperature feature.

This article, "Powerbeats Pro 2 Leak Hints at Useful Health Feature Coming to AirPods" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The European Union has notified Apple that it may be violating EU anti-geo-blocking regulations with practices regarding its media services, giving the company one month to respond.


The European Commission, in conjunction with the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, today announced that it has formally notified Apple regarding potential breaches of the EU's anti-geo-blocking rules. This follows an investigation led by national consumer authorities from Belgium, Germany, and Ireland, coordinated by the European Commission. According to the Commission, Apple's practices appear to unlawfully restrict European consumers from accessing digital content based on their country of residence.

According to the CPC Network, consumers using Apple Media Services, such as the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple TV+, encounter different interfaces and content depending on their country of registration. This regional segmentation allegedly makes it difficult, if not impossible, for users to switch between country-specific versions of Apple's services, which may be in violation of the EU's Geo-blocking Regulation enacted in 2018, designed to protect the Digital Single Market.

A significant point of concern for the EU authorities are restrictions on downloading apps. The investigation found that the ‌App Store‌ does not allow users to download apps available in other EU countries. The EU maintains that consumers should be able to access and download apps offered in other EU/EEA countries when traveling or staying temporarily in another member state.

Consumers are also only permitted to use credit or debit cards issued in the country where their Apple account was created. The Commission argues that consumers should be able to use any EU-issued payment method without facing unnecessary barriers.

Apple has been given one month to formally respond to the Commission's findings and to propose potential commitments to align its practices with EU regulations. If Apple does not adequately address the concerns raised by the CPC Network, the company may face enforcement actions. The European Commission's latest action against Apple is part of a broader push to ensure that tech giants operating within the EU comply with the bloc's regulatory frameworks.

This article, "Apple Under Pressure to Remove Geo-Blocking Restrictions in the EU" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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