CultCast #247 - Kahney’s Shady Banana Tree Holdings INC

Sep 2, 2016

01:00:05

This week: what new hardware will Apple bestow upon us at the iPhone 7 event next week? Don’t miss our predictions! Plus: new video shows iPhone 7 Plus in the wild; and we explain Apple’s Irish tax woes, then argue about it. This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. Easiest Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney What do you think we’ll see at Apple’s iPhone 7 event? Join us on Reddit! https://www.reddit.com/r/TheCultCast/comments/505z3f/the_apple_event_is_on_september_7_what_are_we_all/ Intro, who needs a desk? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVUGFUhFj94 Decoding Apple’s blurry iPhone 7 invite http://www.cultofmac.com/443579/decoding-apples-blurry-iphone-7-invite/ Apple sends out invites for iPhone 7 event on September 7 http://www.cultofmac.com/443570/apple-sends-out-invite-for-september-7th-iphone-event/

Apple just sent out press invitation to a special event to be held September 7 at 10 a.m. Pacific. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to be unveiled at the event.
A dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7 Plus could be the most groundbreaking new feature added this year. Other additions are likely to include a new pressure-sensitive Touch ID button, a faster A10 processor, an improved camera on the iPhone 7 Plus, and a new casing with fewer antenna lines. The iPhone 7 will also boast faster LTE, a bigger battery and more.

A new image circulating online, purporting to be insert documentation for the upcoming iPhone 7, appears to confirm that Apple will be bundling Lightning EarPods as part of its next-gen handsets.

Notorious Apple leaker Sonny Dickson posted a short video of the three plus-size iPhones this morning, confirming many of the rumors that have claimed this year’s update won’t contain any huge design changes.
The back of the iPhone 7 Plus in Dickson’s video reveals that the device will indeed come with a highly anticipated dual-lens camera, though it won’t pick up a Smart Connector

Tim Cook has written an open letter addressing Apple’s enormous tax bill
The European Union recently ruled that Apple owes €13 billion ($14.52 billion) in back taxes
Cook also states that suggestions Apple has an illegal sweetheart deal in Ireland, “has no basis in fact or in law,” confirms Apple will appeal the European Commission’s ruling
The Irish government has said it is happy with its tax arrangement with Apple and doesn’t want the money.
Ireland’s finance ministry has sided with Apple, and said it “disagrees profoundly” with the decision.
The European Commission's issue is really not with Apple but with Ireland.
The commission is not a tax authority; instead, its job is to maintain fairness between the EU member states.
Countries are able to set their own tax rates, but country can’t offer something special that's seen as benefiting an individual company.
In 1991, Ireland (who’s economy was struggling) signed off on a plan in which Apple would move money to a stateless "head office”.
"Apple entered into a deal with Ireland to not pay tax on all those profits,” and Apple paid "an arbitrarily small amount to Ireland in return for a promise to keep jobs in Ireland.” (The kept 6000 there.)
Low corporate tax was one way Ireland improved its economy and attracted big companies, and Apple was one of the early companies to benefit.