We kick off the update with AirTag news. Neil shares his views on NYC handing out 500 AirTags to deter car thefts. The development marks quite an interesting PR turn for the bluetooth tracker. The discussion then turns to the WSJ reporting on a new journaling app that Apple has been reportedly working on. We look at some possibilities for what Apple can do with a journaling app.

Hello everyone. Welcome to May.

Apple will report FY2Q23 earnings on Thursday. We will prepare for the earnings release on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Let's jump into today's update.

NYC Bets on AirTag to Stop Car Thefts

Here’s the NY Post:

“New York City will give out free Apple AirTags to residents as part of an effort to pump the brakes on rampant car thefts, Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday.

Calling the GPS tracking devices a ‘really amazing piece of ingenuity,’ the mayor said 500 of the gadgets donated by a local nonprofit will be doled out to New Yorkers, including in the NYPD’s 43th Precinct in The Bronx — which has been hit particularly hard by the carjacking scourge.

‘The aggravated number of grand larceny autos continues to drive up crime in our city,’ said Adams, joined by police officials, at a press conference, while noting that other major crimes — such as shootings, homicides and robberies and larcenies — have been on the downturn.

‘This simple device, this simple AirTag, hidden in a car location that a person is not aware, of is an excellent tracking device,’ Adams said. ‘It’s easy to monitor. You can see in real-time where the vehicle is located.’

A video posted by the NYPD later in the day demonstrated how the devices would help cops track a stolen vehicle and encouraged motorists to go out and buy the AirTag units on their own.”

Talk about the difference a year makes. In December 2021, Apple was on the receiving end of an awful PR cycle related to AirTag. A police department in Canada said AirTags were being used to steal luxury cars.

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