Morning Report: Apple Launches Privacy Website, Mavericks & Apple TV Updates

Does anyone else have a virtual hangover from downloading so many updates yesterday? iOS 8 has officially touched down on existing devices, and with it comes a renewed focus on security and user privacy, as outlined in today's Morning Report. We've also got details on the latest updates to Apple TV and OS X Mavericks, as well as how to say goodbye to iPhoto for iOS. Click and read!

Apple Says iCloud Data Safe from Law Enforcement with iOS 8

Apple published a letter from CEO Tim Cook on its website Wednesday, outlining the iPhone maker's big push for user security and privacy. In an era where consumers freely give personal information to the likes of Google and Facebook, Cook offers a refreshing take on why Cupertino has no interest in going down that path.

"Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products," Cook writes. "We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don’t 'monetize' the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don’t read your email or your messages to get information to market to you. Our software and services are designed to make our devices better. Plain and simple."

Along with Cook's public letter, Apple has also published a new privacy section of the website with exhaustive details on the company's efforts to provide greater transparency on such issues. One section details how iOS 8 shields personal data — photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders — from government and law enforcement using a passcode which even Cupertino cannot bypass.

"So it's not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8," the Government Information Requests section of the privacy website explains.

Apple Releases OS X Mavericks 10.9.5, Apple TV Updates

Apparently not content to push out iOS 8 and updates for nearly all of its mobile apps on Wednesday, Apple also found the time to release OS X Mavericks 10.9.5 yesterday evening, which will likely be the last such update prior to next month's OS X Mavericks 10.10. The brief release notes specifically mention improvements with the "reliability of VPN connections that use USB smart cards for authentication" as well as "accessing files located on an SMB server," and also includes Safari 7.0.6.

According to MacRumors, Apple TV also received an update on Wednesday, but owners of the second-generation streaming box are likely to be disappointed, as the goodies being delivered will not apply to their older hardware. The overall user interface now features icons with a flatter look more in line with iOS 7, also adding support for new iOS 8 features such as Family Sharing and iCloud Photos. Last but not least, a new Beats Music channel is also available — but sadly, only third-generation hardware will be treated to that new icon.

Apple Support Documents Details iPhoto for iOS Demise

Now that iOS 8 has finally arrived, the time has come to say goodbye to iPhoto for iOS, which is being put out to pasture in favor of iOS 8's own Photos app. As noted in an Apple support document, the first time users launch iPhoto on an iOS 8 device, they'll be asked to migrate data from the now-discontinued app to Photos, which will preserve any photos and image adjustments. Unfortunately, the transition means the loss of existing Photo Books, Web Journals, and Slideshows, which will be "converted into regular albums in Photos" without text or layouts. iPhoto for Mac will also meet its maker early next year when Apple releases a new Photos application for OS X.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter