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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6354427" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword>'s head of policy and government affairs <keyword id="4953459" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="cynthia-hogan">Cynthia Hogan</keyword> has resigned.</li><li>This comes after she was tapped to join <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword>'s team to help pick a running mate for him in the 2020 presidential election.</li><li>Hogan has worked with Biden before, in 1993 when he was a senator and then as an advisor while he was vice president to Barack Obama.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>Apple's head of policy and government affairs Cynthia Hogan has resigned, the company <a href="https://www.axios.com/apple-policy-exec-leaving-company-af4f093d-ab00-4582-a5be-dd4a184a02c5.html">confirmed to Axios</a> on Wednesday.</p><p>The news of Hogan's departure comes a week after she was <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/04/30/apple-executive-cynthia-hogan-to-help-vet-bidens-vp-pick">tapped to join Joe Biden's committee</a> for vetting candidates to be his running mate for the 2020 presidential election.</p><p>Hogan has worked for Biden before, first joining his Senate team in 1993 and later becoming a top advisor to him during the Obama administration. She left the White House in 2013 and subsequently worked as the NFL's top lobbyist before going to Apple in 2016.</p><p>"She's the full package [...] She can do it all," Biden told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/cynthia-hogan-goes-from-white-house-to-nfl-as-leagues-washington-representative/2014/11/04/6b67eb80-5ea9-11e4-827b-2d813561bdfd_story.html">The Washington Post</a> in 2014.</p><p>Apple did not give many details about Hogan's departure to Axios, only that she would be leaving some time next month. It is not clear whether the company has any plans to replace her, and Apple was not immediately available for comment.</p><p>Historically Apple has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-lobbying-tim-cook-donald-trump-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">spent less on lobbying than other tech firms</a> but has established a more direct line to the Trump administration, with CEO Tim Cook often personally lobbying the president.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ceo-tim-cook-says-he-doesnt-believe-in-lobbyists-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Apple spent $18 million in lobbying between 2017 and 2019</a> — less than the other big tech companies (Amazon spent $36 million and Google's parent company Alphabet spent $47 million) and its lobbying budget fell from $7.2 million in 2017 to $5.5 million in 2019.</p>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-head-of-policy-resigns-biden-campaign-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

Apple's top lobbyist resigned after getting tapped to work on Joe Biden's campaign

<p>Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Tuesday. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/10-things-in-tech&amp;hash=8122c716833601fc1471f79af063b104?nr_email_referer=1&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=10_things_tech&amp;utm_campaign=Post%20Blast%20sai:%2010%20things%20in%20tech%20you%20need%20to%20know%20today&amp;utm_term=10%20THINGS%20IN%20TECH%20YOU%20NEED%20TO%20KNOW%20-%20ENGAGED%2C%20ACTIVE%2C%20PASSIVE%2C%20DISENGAGED0PASSIVE%2C%20DISENGAGED">Sign up here</a> to get this email in your inbox every morning.</p><p>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Listen to this update by searching "Business Insider" in your flash briefing settings.</p><ol><li><strong>Facebook removed pages related to Steve Bannon. </strong>The social network <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-2020-election-results/2020/11/09/933276783/facebook-removes-network-of-pages-tied-to-former-white-house-strategist-steve-ba?t=1604994267007">removed seven pages</a> related to the former White House adviser that spread false information and conspiracy theories about voter fraud.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>Eric Schmidt is set to become an EU citizen.</strong> The former Google CEO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eric-schmidt-google-cyprus-citizen-passport-for-sale-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">is obtaining citizenship</a> in Cyprus, a move that will allow him to travel to the European Union and possibly reap tax benefits.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>President-elect Joe Biden is tapping up tech for his transition team. </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-transition-team-agencies-ted-kaufman-trump-legacy-obama-2020-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Staffers include</a> Facebook's former regulatory attorney Jessica Hertz and ex-Apple lobbyist Cynthia Hogan, per a list compiled by Business Insider.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>SoftBank made its first investment in a scooter startup. </strong>The Japanese investment giant <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tier-250-million-softbank-electric-scooters-germany-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">led a $250 million funding round</a> into German electric scooter firm Tier, Business Insider reported.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>Zoom has settled with the FTC.</strong> The video conferencing firm has agreed <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zoom-ftc-lawsuit-end-to-end-encryption-claims-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">not to make any misleading security claims</a> in advertising and to continue to ramp up its security practices.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>AOC says the Democrats lost seats due to poor online practices.</strong> Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aoc-democrats-lost-senate-seats-facebook-ads-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Democrats lost seats in the Senate and House</a> because of a lack of online advertising, including on Facebook.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>Microsoft wants to demolish video-conferencing competition like Zoom. </strong>Leaked documents obtained by Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-teams-zoom-webex-meetings-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">show the firm is tying staff bonuses</a> to the success of its own video product, Teams, against rivals like WebEx.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>Trump's refusal to concede is a cyber risk.</strong> Former government officials say <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-quantum-ai-initiative-science-election-2020-biden-white-house-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">election disinformation makes Americans vulnerable</a> to cyberattacks, particularly given Trump's widely debunked claims of election fraud.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>We analyzed Joe Biden's key tech initiatives. </strong>It's clear the president-elect <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-quantum-ai-initiative-science-election-2020-biden-white-house-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">will focus like Trump on outrunning China</a> and on R&amp;D investment, but that he may differ on areas like immigration.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>SoftBank may sell Boston Dynamics. </strong>The robotics firm <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/softbank-might-sell-boston-dynamics-robot-dog-spot-hyundai-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">is reportedly not profitable</a>, and a deal could value it at up to $1 billion.</li></ol>

10 things in tech you need to know today

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In recent years, there's been a talent pipeline from Washington, DC, to Silicon Valley. </li><li>Several for Obama administration officials now work at tech companies like <keyword id="719382" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Airbnb">Airbnb</keyword> and <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>. </li><li><keyword id="566741" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jay-Carney">Jay Carney</keyword>, President Barack Obama's former press secretary, is now a high-ranking Amazon employee. Tony West, a former Justice Department official, is a C-level executive at <keyword id="1042120" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Uber">Uber</keyword>. </li><li>Other helped run political campaigns or held State Department positions before making the switch to the tech world. </li></ul><p>These days, it seems like there's a direct talent pipeline from Washington, DC, to Silicon Valley. </p><p>President Barack Obama's former press secretary now runs public relations at Amazon. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tony-west-life-career-uber-maya-harris-kamala-harris-2020-11">Uber's chief legal officer</a> used to work for the Department of Justice - and happens to be Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' brother-in-law. And Airbnb, <keyword id="944108" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stripe">Stripe</keyword>, and <keyword id="6354427" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword> are all home to former DC power players. </p><p>Now, as President-elect Joe Biden lays the groundwork for his administration, even <a href="https://www.protocol.com/bulletins/bidens-transition-is-stacked-with-tech-players?share_id=5959887">his transition team</a> is stocked with over a dozen employees at tech companies like Amazon, Lyft, and Dropbox. It's fair to say the relationship between Washington and Silicon Valley has never been tighter.</p><p>Here are the key players who have made a name for themselves in both <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword> and the tech world: </p><h2>Jay Carney</h2><p><strong>Was:</strong> Obama's press secretary from 2011 to 2014. Prior to working for Obama, Carney served as communications director for then-Vice President Joe Biden. </p><p><strong>Now:</strong> Senior vice president of corporate affairs at Amazon. He oversees public policy and communications and is a member of Amazon's elite "S-team," a group of 23 of the company's most senior employees that helps shape culture and policy at Amazon.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-amazons-s-team-ceo-jeff-bezoss-top-lieutenants-2020-5?r=ah-sub">Amazon has an elite group of execs who are guiding the company through the coronavirus chaos. Here are the 23 members of Jeff Bezos' 'S-team.'</a></em></p><h2>Tony West</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Tony West" height="1221" width="1628" msid="79582782" hostid="261"></div></h2><p><strong>Was:</strong> Special assistant to the deputy attorney general during President Bill Clinton's administration. During the Obama administration, he served as assistant attorney general of the civil division before becoming associate attorney general, the third-highest ranking official at the Justice Department. </p><p><strong>Now:</strong> Chief legal officer at Uber. West was recruited from PepsiCo in 2017 by Dara Khosrowshahi, who had taken over the embattled ride-sharing startup a few months prior. Early on in his tenure at Uber, West was tasked with navigating a massive data breach and a contentious court battle with self-driving-car rival Waymo. </p><h2><strong>Courtney O'Donnell</strong></h2><p><strong>Was: </strong>Director of communications for then-Second Lady Jill Biden from 2009 to 2011. Prior to that, O'Donnell worked as press secretary for Howard Dean's presidential bid, as well as for Elizabeth Edwards during the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign. O'Donnell has also been serving as the Biden Campaign's chief of staff for Doug Emhoff, Harris' husband, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/codonnell/">her LinkedIn</a>. </p><p><strong>Now: </strong>Director of global affairs and strategic partnerships at Airbnb. O'Donnell has been at Airbnb since 2014 and oversees the company's major tourism initiatives. </p><h2><strong>Lartease Tiffith</strong></h2><p><strong>Was: </strong>Senior counsel to Harris while she was in the Senate. Prior to working in Harris' office, Tiffith was a counsel for Sen. Dianne Feinstein and was an attorney in the Justice Department, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lartease/">his LinkedIn</a>. </p><p><strong>Now: </strong>Tiffith has worked as <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2020/08/12/a-brief-guide-to-kamala-harris-alumni-on-k-street-789869">an in-house lobbyist</a> for Amazon <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lartease/">since 2018</a>. </p><h2><strong>Cynthia Hogan</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Cynthia Hogan" height="959" width="1279" msid="79582785" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p><strong>Was: </strong>Chief counsel for Biden during his time in the Senate, as well as <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/30/apple-exec-cynthia-hogan-joins-bidens-vp-vetting-team/">during his tenure as Vice President</a>. Hogan was also the chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee in the early 1990s, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-hogan-22286b88/">her LinkedIn</a>.</p><p><strong>Now: </strong>Vice president for public policy and government affairs at Apple. Prior to joining Apple in 2016, Hogan served as executive vice president for public policy for the National Football League. </p><h2><strong>Arthur Plews</strong></h2><p><strong>Was:</strong> Chief innovation officer at Small Business Administration during the Obama administration.</p><p><strong>Now:</strong> User strategy and operations lead at Stripe. Plews is also <a href="https://www.protocol.com/bulletins/bidens-transition-is-stacked-with-tech-players?share_id=5959887">part of the Biden transition</a> as a member of the Small Business Administration review team. </p><h2><strong><keyword id="3122790" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Chris-Lehane">Chris Lehane</keyword></strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Chris Lehane" height="1646" width="2195" msid="79582792" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p><strong>Was:</strong> Press secretary to Vice President Al Gore. He also served as a special assistant counsel to Clinton and a counselor to Andrew Cuomo, who was then secretary of Housing and Urban Development.</p><p><strong>Now:</strong> Head of global policy and communications <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/about-us/leadership/chris-lehane/">at Airbnb</a>. Lehane is <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/airbnbs-spin-master">highly influential at Airbnb</a>, helping to shape the company's response to regulatory hurdles and guide the company toward its upcoming IPO. </p><h2>Katie Biber</h2><p><strong>Was:</strong> General counsel for then Gov. Mitt Romney's presidential bids in 2008 and 2012. Prior to that, Biber worked in the Department of Justice under President George W. Bush, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-dc-app-operatives-silicon-valley-20170508-story.html">according to the Los Angeles Times</a>.</p><p><strong>Now:</strong> Chief legal officer at <keyword id="7820651" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Brex">Brex</keyword>. Before joining the credit-card startup, Biber worked at cryptocurrency company Anchorage and has served as in-house counsel at both Thumbtack and Airbnb, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiebiber/">her LinkedIn</a>. </p><h2>Tucker Bounds</h2><p><strong>Was:</strong> Deputy campaign manager for former HP and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman's California governor race. Before that, he was Sen. John McCain's spokesman when he ran for president in 2008. He also served as press secretary for the Republican National Committee from 2005 to 2006, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tucker-bounds-6a268029/">his LinkedIn</a>. </p><p><strong>Now:</strong> Vice president of communications at Facebook. Bounds has had two stints at Facebook: He first served as director of corporate communications until 2014, then rejoined the company in 2017. </p><h2>Sarah Heck</h2><div type="image" title="Sarah Heck Stripe" height="1258" width="1678" msid="79582796" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Was: </strong>Director of global engagement for the National Security Council from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, Heck worked at the State Department's cultural affairs bureau, according to her LinkedIn. </p><p><strong>Now: </strong>Head of entrepreneurship at Stripe. Heck helps entrepreneurs worldwide start businesses, particularly in developing nations, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-dc-app-operatives-silicon-valley-20170508-story.html">according to the LA Times</a>. </p><h2>Steven Siger</h2><p><strong>Was: </strong>Siger worked on Obama's campaign in 2008. He also worked in the Justice Department for three years during the Obama administration, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensiger/">his LinkedIn</a>. </p><p><strong>Now:</strong> General counsel for Bungalow, a venture-backed co-living company. Before joining Bungalow, Siger worked at Thumbtack and Uber. </p><h2>Jessica Hertz</h2><p><strong>Was:</strong> Hertz is a lawyer who worked in DC for more than 10 years, first as a counselor in the Office of Management and Budget and later as the principal deputy counsel to Biden when he was Vice President, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicarhertz/">her LinkedIn</a>.</p><p><strong>Now:</strong> Hertz joined Facebook in 2018 as an attorney handling regulatory matters. Now, Hertz is joining the White House senior staff as <a href="https://buildbackbetter.gov/nominees-and-appointees/jessica-hertz/">Biden's staff secretary</a>. </p>

The DC to Silicon Valley pipeline: Meet the former Washington power-players who joined the ranks at tech companies like Amazon and Airbnb

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>In July, when dozens of internet companies including Netflix and Google <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/net-neutrality-explainer-internet-protest-fcc-ajit-pai-2017-7">protested the FCC's proposal</a> to change Obama-era&#xa0;net-neutrality rules, Apple was silent.<p>Now, the company has weighed in on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/net-neutrality-explainer-internet-protest-fcc-ajit-pai-2017-7">proposal to remove the rules</a>. After President Donald Trump appointed Pai chairman, he's been moving to throw out existing net-neutrality rules.&#xa0;</p><p><a href="https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/10830069155074/NN%20reply%20comments%20(final).pdf">In a comment submitted to the FCC</a>&#xa0;and&#xa0;signed by Cynthia&#xa0;Hogan, Apple's VP of Public Policy for the Americas, Apple urged the FCC not to roll back a ban against "fast lanes," a concept that describes a&#xa0;regulatory environment in which broadband providers can charge to deliver internet content&#xa0;more quickly.</p><p>But on other net-neutrality issues, such as whether to reverse the Title II classification that gives the FCC authority over service providers, Apple is less specific. "We work hard to build great products, and what consumers do with those tools is up to them - not Apple, and not broadband providers," Apple said in its comment.&#xa0;</p><p>"Apple remains open to alternative sources of legal authority, but only if they provide for strong, enforceable, and legally sustainable protections, like those in place today," it continued.</p><p>An Apple representative&#xa0;declined to comment further on&#xa0;the filing.&#xa0;</p><p>Read Apple's&#xa0;entire comment&#xa0;below:&#xa0;</p><p>&#xa0;</p><div><p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;">   <a title="View NN Reply Comments (Final) on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/357715735/NN-Reply-Comments-Final#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">NN Reply Comments (Final)</a> by <a title="View Kif Leswing's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/user/224805620/Kif-Leswing#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Kif Leswing</a> on Scribd</p></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/drop-tested-new-old-nokia-3310-vs-durable-smash-phone-mobile-2017-8">We drop tested both the new and old Nokia 3310 - and there was a clear winner</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

'No paid fast lanes:' Read Apple's full comment on the net neutrality debate

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>In 2017, Apple issued a software update that began slowing down older models of iPhone when their batteries got old. </strong></li><li><strong>This software does not affect the newest iPhone models introduced in the last year, including the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, according to Apple.</strong></li></ul><p>In a letter to Congress released on Tuesday, Apple that the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X aren't affected by software updates that slow down iPhones with old batteries.</p><p>"iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models include hardware updates that allow a more advanced performance management system that more preciesly allows iOS to anticipate and avoid an unexpected shutdown," Apple public policy VP Cynthia Hogan <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-explains-iphone-batterygate-in-letter-to-congress-2018-2">wrote in a letter to the US Senate</a>. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were introduced in September; the iPhone X in November. </p><p>"The impacts of performance management may be less noticeable on iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X," according to <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208387">an Apple support document updated on Tuesday</a>. </p><p>Apple has been under fire <span>for a software update that slows down the CPU speed on certain iPhone models when their batteries wear down, which first came to light in December. </span><span></span></p><p><span>In response, Apple has discounted the price of a battery replacement from $79 to $29 for older models of iPhone, including </span><span>including the Phone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone SE. </span></p><p>Apple denies that it created the software update to "intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product." <span>Apple has also begun rolling out power management features that will let iPhone owners choose whether or not to take the hit to performance when the battery gets old - at the possible cost of unwanted shutdowns and restarts.</span></p><p>Or you can always just get a new iPhone. </p><h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-explains-iphone-batterygate-in-letter-to-congress-2018-2"><strong>Read Apple's entire letter here.</strong> </a></h2>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-apples-battery-slowing-controversy-means-for-iphone-sales-2018-2">Here's what Apple's battery-slowing controversy means for iPhone sales</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The newest iPhones don't have the software that slows iPhones down when they get old

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>Apple responded to Senate questions about an extremely controversial software update that slowed down older iPhones.&#xa0;</strong></li><li><strong>In the letter, Apple says it is "exploring" giving a rebate to people who bought battery replacements at full price.</strong></li><li><strong>It also provides a detailed timeline of how it told customers about the software update.&#xa0;</strong></li></ul><p>Apple provided additional details about its practice of slowing down certain older iPhones in a letter to Senate lawmakers released on Tuesday.&#xa0;</p><p>In the letter, Apple confirmed that the controverisal power management feature at the heart of the issue was released to iPhones in January - and yet, Apple confirms that it did&#xa0;<a href="http://fortune.com/2017/02/24/apple-iphone-6-battery-problem-2/">not publicly acknowledge the change&#xa0;</a>until a month later, on February 23, 2017.&#xa0;</p><p>Apple also says in the letter that it is "exploring" the possibility of giving money back to those customers who paid the full price of $79 for a replacement battery. In the wake of the battery scandal, Apple lowered the price for an iPhone battery replacement to $29. While the move was welcomed, it disappointed customers who paid the original price.</p><p>The letter, signed by Apple VP of public policy Cynthia Hogan, is dated February 2. It was sent in response to a January letter from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.&#xa0;</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ceo-tim-cook-talks-publicly-about-on-iphone-batterygate-2018-1">Apple has been under intense fire</a> for a software update that slows down the CPU speed on certain iPhone models when their batteries wear down.&#xa0;</p><p>The company says that the reason for the software update is to prevent unexpected shutdowns when a battery cannot provide enough current for the iPhone's CPU.&#xa0;</p><p>But there is a lot of consumer anger around the software feature, particularly because it seems to confirm a long-time conspiracy theory that Apple slows down old iPhones to get people to upgrade to newer models.&#xa0;</p><p>"Apple's recent actions related to performance of iPhones with older batteries were based on providing our customers with the best experience," Hogan wrote.&#xa0;</p><p>"As we said publicly, we have never - and would never - do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades," she continued.&#xa0;</p><h2>How Apple notified its customers&#xa0;</h2><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>When asked about the scandal on television last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that customers were told about the power management feature at the time.&#xa0;<p><span>"When we did put [the software update] out, we did say what it was, but I don't think a lot of people were paying attention," Cook told ABC News. "And maybe we should have been clearer, as well."</span></p><p><span>But in the timeline provided to the Senate, Apple acknowledges that the power management feature had been rolling out to customer iPhones for a month before it was added to the update's release notes or disclosed to the press.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>"We first delivered this power management feature to iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE as part of iOS 10.2.1, in January 2017," Hogan wrote.</span></p><p><span>"Once we verified that the feature was effective in avoiding unexpected shutdowns, we updated the iOS 10.2.1 ReadMe notes in February, 2017. Specifically, the iOS 10.2.1 ReadMe notes said that this update 'also improves power management during peak workloads to avoid unexpected shutdowns on iPhone," the Apple VP continued, also noting a press statement provided on Febuary 23 to several publications including Business Insider.&#xa0;</span></p><p>Republican Senator John Thune, who chairs the Senate Commitee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said in a statement that Apple has acknowledged that its initial disclosures of the software update "came up short."</p><p>"I appreciate Apple's response to my inquiry and the company's ongoing discussions with the committee," Thune said. "In those conversations, Apple has acknowledged that its initial disclosures came up short."</p><p>"Apple has also promised the committee some follow-up information, including an answer about additional steps it may take to address customers who purchased a new battery at full price," he continued.&#xa0;</p><h2><span>What's next</span></h2><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Apple said in its letter that the CPU-slowing feature is not needed in new iPhones, including the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, because of "hardware updates that allow a more advanced performance management system."</span></p><p><span>So newer iPhones should not suffer the same battery-related sluggishness that affects iPhones released between 2014 and 2017.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>Apple also said on Tuesday that a future software update will give users metrics on how well their battery works, as well as the option to turn the power management feature off.&#xa0;</span><span>&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>Apple also says that its users were not forced to download the original update.&#xa0;</span><span>"All of our software updates are optional and the customer decides whether to update or not," Hogan wrote. However, Apple says in its statement that&#xa0;over 50% percent of active iPhones had installed the update on their phones by the time it disclosed the throttling.</span></p><p><span>A House committee also questioned Apple about the battery-related slowdown, and the company faces over 45 class-action lawsuits about the software update.&#xa0;</span><span>Apple also faces investigations from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/italian-antitrust-agcm-investigation-apple-samsung-slow-phones-2018-1">several international bodies</a> over how it disclosed the software update as well.</span></p><p><span>Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.&#xa0;</span></p><h2>Read Apple's entire letter below:&#xa0;</h2><p>&#xa0;</p><div><p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;">   <a title="View Apple Response to SCC Feb 2 2018 on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/370897719/Apple-Response-to-SCC-Feb-2-2018#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Apple Response to SCC Feb 2 2018</a> by <a title="View Kif Leswing's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/user/224805620/Kif-Leswing#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Kif Leswing</a> on Scribd</p></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-boring-company-selling-500-flamethrowers-tesla-musk-2018-1">Elon Musk's The Boring Company sold out of these $500 flamethrowers</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div></hr>

Apple says it told customers it was slowing their iPhones from the beginning - but it just told Congress a different story

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Senator Al Franken said on Monday that Apple was working with his office to answer any questions about Face ID, Apple's new facial recognition technology that goes on sale on November 3.<p>Shortly after Apple announced the iPhone X, which uses facial recognition to unlock the phone in place of a fingerprint sensor,&#xa0;the Minnesota Democrat&#xa0;published <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/al-franken-apple-letter-how-iphone-x-face-id-feature-works-2017-9">an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook</a> asking 10 questions about how the tech was implemented.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-new-details-iphone-x-facial-recognition-works-2017-9">Apple later revealed more information</a> about the technology in a white paper published to its website. And on Monday, Franken's office sent Business Insider the undated&#xa0;response from Apple, signed by Cynthia Hogan, Apple's vice president for public policy.</p><p>Apple's response to Franken largely restates information <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208108">available on Apple's website</a>&#xa0;about how Face ID works - such as the fact that "faceprints" are not collected by Apple, that third-party developers cannot collect&#xa0;face data from developers, and how the technology works.&#xa0;</p><p>However, it does go into a little bit of additional detail about how the software was built to work with a diverse group of people with different faces, genders, and skin tones:&#xa0;</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">"The accessibility of the product to people of diverse races and ethnicities was very important to us. Face ID uses facial matching neural networks that we developed using over a billion images, including IR and depth images collected in studies conducted with the participants' informed consent. We worked with participants from around the world to include a representative group of people accounting for gender, age, ethnicity, and other factors. We augmented the studies as needed to provide a high degree of accuracy for a diverse range of users. In addition, a neural network that is trained to spot and resist spoofing defends against attempts to unlock your phone with photos or masks."</p><p>While Apple's published materials make the point that the company has anticipated many of&#xa0;the security and privacy issues surrounding the new technology,&#xa0;the next test for Face ID is when it gets out in public use and independent researchers try to crack it.</p><p>"I plan to follow up with Apple to find out more about how it plans to protect the data of customers who decide to use the latest generation of iPhone's facial recognition technology," Franken said in a statement.&#xa0;</p><h2>Here's Apple's full response:&#xa0;</h2><h2>Here's Franken's full statement:&#xa0;</h2><p style="padding-left: 30px;">"As the top Democrat on the Privacy Subcommittee, I strongly believe that all Americans have a fundamental right to privacy. All the time, we learn about and actually experience new technologies and innovations that, just a few years back, were difficult to even imagine. While these developments are often great for families, businesses, and our economy, they also raise important questions about how we protect what I believe are among the most pressing issues facing consumers: privacy and security. I appreciate Apple's willingness to engage with my office on these issues, and I'm glad to see the steps that the company has taken to address consumer privacy and security concerns. I plan to follow up with Apple to find out more about how it plans to protect the data of customers who decide to use the latest generation of iPhone's facial recognition technology."</p><div><p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;">   <a title="View Face ID Letter Response on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/361855028/Face-ID-Letter-Response#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Face ID Letter Response</a> by <a title="View Kif Leswing's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/user/224805620/Kif-Leswing#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Kif Leswing</a> on Scribd</p></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-6s-vs-iphone-8-x-upgrade-2017-9">I won't trade in my iPhone 6s for an iPhone 8 or iPhone X - here's why</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Apple responds to top senator's privacy questions about the iPhone X's face scanner

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Getty</span></p><p class="caption">Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Apple's App Store got a very green makeover on Thursday.</p><p>People looking to install software on iPhones and iPads are being presented with a new campaign and banner image on the front page of the App Store, called Apps for Earth. The promotion is intended to raise awareness about conservation and environmental issues such as climate change. </p><p>As part of the campaign, the proceeds from 27 different apps will go directly to the World Wildlife Fund. Some of the apps are top grossers, like Hearthstone and Candy Crush Soda Saga. </p><p>Apple doesn't just talk - it does appear to be a company that is genuinely dedicated to fighting climate change. <a href="http://mashable.com/2016/04/14/apps-for-earth-apple/#F7ggn5iHa5q3">One participating app developer</a> told Mashable that Apple employees "really do care. It's not greenwashing. They really drink the Kool-Aid."</p><p><a href="http://images.apple.com/environment/pdf/Apple_Environmental_Responsibility_Report_2016.pdf">Apple also released its latest environmental report</a>, covering 2015, on Thursday. Apple brags that 93% of its energy comes from renewable sources, although some of that figure comes from Apple buying carbon credits to offset conventional electricity it uses.</p><p>But Apple is also <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/03/23/apple-clean-energy-evolution/">building and funding huge fields full of solar panels</a> to power its data centers and office operations. Earlier this year, it issued its first "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-raises-green-bond-2016-2">green bond</a>," raising money that can only be used for environmentally-friendly projects.</p><h2>All eyes on Lisa Jackson </h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Steve Kovach/Tech Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The report comes as Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP for environmental, policy, and social initiatives, has become a prominent public face for the company. </p><p>At Apple's recent iPhone launch event, Jackson took the stage for the first time to tout the company's commitment to clean energy, and introduced a new recycling robot, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-apples-robot-rips-apart-iphones-for-recycling-2016-3">called Liam</a>, which ended up ultimately stealing the show away from Apple's other products.</p><p>Jackson was also scheduled to speak at an event at Google headquarters earlier this week about climate change, although she backed out at the last minute. </p><p>Jackson is not only an expert in the environment, but she's a political creature as well. Before she joined Apple, she was a member of Obama's cabinet, as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from 2009 to 2013. </p><p>And on Thursday, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/apple-hires-cynthia-hogan-221937">Apple confirmed</a> that it had hired a new top lobbyist, Cynthia Hogan, a DC insider who had previously worked for the NFL and Vice President Joe Biden. She'll be reporting to - who else - Jackson.  </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tony-robbins-dj-khaled-snapchat-keys-success-2016-3">Tony Robbins reviews DJ Khaled's keys to success</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="s0amRnMjE6OflBIXizj51GWzSO-Fz7ZW" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Apple is successfully branding itself as the greenest company in Silicon Valley

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai attended the World Internet Conference in China.&#xa0;</strong></li><li><strong>At the conference, a top communist party official called for tighter control of the internet.</strong></li><li><strong>U.S. Senators asked Apple earlier this year if Apple supports the conference, quoting a critic who said that attending the conference makes American business officials 'complicit actors in the Chinese censorship regime.'</strong></li></ul><p>The CEOs of the two most valuable technology companies spoke over the weekend at a controversial event in China.&#xa0;</p><p>Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai both appeared at China's World Internet Conference, a gathering the Chinese government <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-03/internet-must-have-security-humanity-apple-chief-tells-china">reportedly uses to promote its strategy</a> of tightly controlling what's available online in the country.&#xa0;</p><p>Cook gave a keynote address on Sunday.&#xa0;"The theme of this conference - developing a digital economy for openness and shared benefits - is a vision we at Apple share," Cook said, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-03/internet-must-have-security-humanity-apple-chief-tells-china">according to Bloomberg</a>. "We are proud to have worked alongside many of our partners in China to help build a community that will join a common future in cyberspace."</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Reuters" title_caption="Google Inc. CEO Sundar Pichai (L) and Xiaomi's founder and CEO Lei Jun attend a session of the fourth World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, China, December 3, 2017" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a25613c3dbef4b5748b95d8-960/rtx3kxdg.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></div><p></p></div></div>The sensitivity of the World Internet Conference is illustrated by a question posed to Apple and Cook by senators Ted Cruz and Patrick Leahy earlier this year.&#xa0;<p>The Senators pointedly asked:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">"Since 2014, the Chinese government has held a World Internet Conference. Charles Smith, the co-founder of the non-profit censorship monitoring website GreatFire, described foreign guests of the Conference as 'complicit actors in the Chinese censorship regime and are lending legitimacy to Lu Wei, the Cyberspace Administration of China and their heavy-handed approach to Internet governance. They are, in effect, helping to put all Chinese who stand for their constitutional right to free speech behind bars.' What role, if any, has Apple or its employees had with respect to the World Internet Conference in China? Does Apple support the conference?"</p><p>Apple's Vice President for Public Policy, Cynthia Hogan, replied <a href="https://www.leahy.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Apple%2011212017.pdf">in a November 21 letter</a>:&#xa0;</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">"Apple is not a financial sponsor of the conference. Apple has participated in the World Internet Conference in the past, and Apple employees, including our CEO, will participate in the future. We are convinced that continued engagement is the surest way to effect change. We believe in the free flow of information everywhere, and we remain committed to this ongoing effort in all countries in which we operate, across a complicated world."</p><p>Less than three weeks later, Cook would be the surprise keynote speaker at the World Internet Conference's opening ceremony.&#xa0;</p><p>Read Apple's entire response, which also touches on Chinese censorship of certain apps that can be used to access websites and services that are banned in China:&#xa0;</p><div><p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;">   <a title="View Apple on World Internet Congress on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/366276483/Apple-on-World-Internet-Congress#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Apple on World Internet Congress</a> by <a title="View Kif Leswing's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/user/224805620/Kif-Leswing#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;">Kif Leswing</a> on Scribd</p></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-semi-truck-electric-18-wheeler-rig-tech-driving-road-2017-11">Watch Elon Musk show off Tesla's first electric semi - which can go from 0-60 mph in five seconds</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

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