Episode Details

This MacVoices Live! episode unpacks Apple's decision to drop FireWire support in macOS Tahoe, raising questions about how long legacy technologies should be supported and at what cost. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea debate whether practical considerations or corporate minimalism are driving such moves. The panel also address the EU's exclusion from iPhone Live Activities, sparking discussion about regulatory overreach and global feature fragmentation. The episode wraps with a deep dive into a court ruling that permits AI models to be trained on copyrighted material if legally acquired, highlighting the murky boundaries between fair use, transformation, and infringement.

This edition of MacVoices is supported by MacVoices Magazine, our free magazine on Flipboard. Updated daily with the best articles on the web to help you do more with your Apple gear and adjacent tech, access MacVoices Magazine content on Flipboard, on the web, or in your favorite RSS reader.

Chapters:

00:07 Welcome to MacVoices 01:46 EU's Live Activities Issue 07:24 Menu Bar Changes in Beta 09:21 FireWire Support Removal 16:57 The Future of Connectivity 26:26 AI and Copyright Debate

Links:

macOS Tahoe: Sorry EU Mac owners, you won't be getting Live Activities this fall https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/06/19/apple-macos-tahoe-eu-mac-live-activities/

macOS Tahoe Beta 2 Lets You Add a Menu Bar Background https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/23/macos-tahoe-beta-2-menu-bar-background/

Bye-Bye Firewire? – macOS Tahoe Beta Does Not Offer FireWire Support https://www.mactrast.com/2025/06/bye-bye-firewire-macos-tahoe-beta-does-not-offer-firewire-support/

Courts say AI training on copyrighted material is legal https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/06/24/courts-say-ai-training-on-copyrighted-material-is-legal

Guests:

Web Bixby has been in the insurance business for 40 years and has been an Apple user for longer than that.You can catch up with him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him on Twitter, by email at embolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast. Brian Flanigan-Arthurs is an educator with a passion for providing results-driven, innovative learning strategies for all students, but particularly those who are at-risk. He is also a tech enthusiast who has a particular affinity for Apple since he first used the Apple IIGS as a student. You can contact Brian on twitter as @brian8944.