News about Apple Music dominated the week, especially a decision to reverse course on trial royalties, but other items grabbing headlines included future iPhone plans, expanded Apple Watch sales, and deep controversy over a ban on Confederate flags in the App Store.
Apple Music to pay rights holders for trial streaming
In a surprise announcement last Sunday, Apple software and services chief Eddy Cue said that the company will indeed pay rights holders for music streamed during a listener's three-month free trial period.
The reversal appears to have been prompted by an open letter by pop artist Taylor Swift, as well as resistance by parties like indie label consortium Beggars Group. Many in the music industry were upset by the amount of money they stood to lose, especially given that services like Spotify pay rights holders for all tiers.
Apple is reportedly offering a per-track payment of 0.2 cents for trial streams, plus a smaller amount for publishers handling songwriting rights. Full royalties will kick in once a listener converts to a paid subscription.
The change was apparently enough to appease Swift -- whose latest album will be available on Apple Music -- as well as Beggars Group and another consortium, Merlin.
Future iPhones could build Touch ID into displays
Button-less iPhone concept via Martin Hajek.
Circulating rumors indicated that Apple may be planning to build a Touch ID sensor into the display of upcoming iPhones, potentially eliminating the need for a home button. This was corroborated by an AppleInsider source, although the person cautioned that such a change won't happen until at least 2017.
Evidence mounted later in the week when it was exposed that Apple had acquired a number of patents from Privaris, including ones for merging fingerprint sensors with touchscreens.
Lisa Jackson takes on government, social, education duties
Once just the head of Apple's environmental initiatives, Lisa Jackson on Tuesday gained extra responsibilities including social, educational, and government policy initiatives. The news emerged from a memo sent to Apple workers by CEO Tim Cook.
Jackson's background is mostly environmental, her previous job being Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. During her time at Apple, she has helped spearhead efforts to use renewable energy and mitigate some of Apple's resource consumption.
Apple bans use of Confederate flag in numerous App Store titles
Following in the path of retailers like Amazon and Walmart, Apple this week banned "offensive or mean-spirited" use of the Confederate battle flag in App Store titles, making an exception only for "educational or historical" purposes. Some Americans have called for the flag to be removed from stores and government buildings in the aftermath of racist killings at a church in South Carolina.
Apple quickly generated new controversy, however, as the move forced a number of Civil War-themed games off of the App Store, even though they included the flag solely for historical accuracy. The company is working with developers to get affected titles resubmitted, with some games makers seeing their titles return on Friday.
Apple Watch coming to Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand in July
Through quiet updates to its website, Apple revealed that three more countries -- Sweden, Thailand, and the Netherlands -- will get the Apple Watch on July 17. Base prices will be €419 ($468) in the Netherlands, 3,995kr ($481) in Sweden, and 13,500 baht ($399) in Thailand.
On Friday Apple launched the Watch in several countries, namely Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan. The product only recently became available in physical Apple Stores instead of just online.
AppleInsider podcast
In the latest episode, Daniel Eran Dilger, Mikey Campbell, and Victor Marks come together to discuss iPhone rumors, CarPlay and HomeKit, and the latest Apple Music developments, including Beats 1 radio.