This week on AI: March special event, Supreme Court rejects e-books appeal, ransomware strikes Mac, encryption debate & more

By AppleInsider Staff

This week got off to an inauspicious start with the discovery of a Mac ransomware threat, followed by a Supreme Court snubbing of Apple's appeal of its $450 million e-books antitrust case. But the biggest news was Apple's confirmation of a special event on March 21, expected to feature a next-gen 4-inch iPhone model, revamped 9.7-inch iPad and more.

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A roundup of all of our hottest stories this week:

Apple plans to 'loop you in' at March 21 event with expected new 4" iPhone, 9.7" iPad'Let us loop you in' live: Apple's March 21 event will be streamed onlinePhotos of purported 'iPhone 7' case support rumors of no 3.5mm headphone jack'iPhone 7,' 'iPhone SE' case photos proliferate from China based on alleged Apple designsChinese manufacturers start showing cases for rumored 9.7" iPad Pro with smart connector, 4 speakersMalware-infected Transmission 2.9 app threatened OS X users, stopped by XProtectApple to pay $450M fine after US Supreme Court rejects e-book antitrust appeal Proposed Senate bill penalizing resistance to decryption requests nears completion, could be introduced next weekEddy Cue says FBI could force Apple to secretly activate iPhone camera, microphone if precedent is setGovernment says Apple arguments in encryption case a 'diversion,' presents point-by-point rebuttalApple counsel Bruce Sewell calls DOJ filing 'cheap shot' that seeks to 'vilify'