The week in digital: rival iPhone app stores, PHP’s fix and a new online safety duty
Rival app stores for iPhones, PHP’s critical fixes, a new online safety duty, Meta’s revised terms and a $99 Amazon Prime.
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Deadlines, price changes and new rules for Australian businesses, soonest first.
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Court orders Apple to open Australian iPhones to rival app stores
From 1 March 2027, Australian Apple Accounts should get apps from outside the App Store. Developers can also link to cheaper ways to pay.
DMARC explained: the bouncer checking your café’s name at the door
DMARC tells Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo what to do with email that pretends to come from your business. Here’s how it works, explained through a café.
New online safety duty could reach apps, games and websites
The Digital Duty of Care bill would make online services keep Australian users safe, with penalties up to $109.2 million. The September draft had no size exemption.
PHP’s critical fixes are out. Has your website been patched?
PHP released fixes for two critical flaws on 21 October. WordPress says no plugin update will help. Here’s what to ask your host, and what to do about old PHP.
YouTube will now freeze channels it suspects are hacked
YouTube now pauses uploads, live streams and thumbnails on channels showing unusual activity, usually for up to 24 hours, while it checks for a hijack.
auDA now proposes letting you keep your existing .com.au
auDA now proposes that current .com.au and .net.au licences keep running under today’s rules. New registrations would still lose the ‘what you sell’ option.
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Seven iPhone settings to change before you use it for work
A new iPhone holds your email, client calls and saved passwords. Seven settings that protect it and cut scam calls, with Apple’s own steps for each.
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Business phones on the NBN: what VoIP costs depend on, and what to check before you rely on it
NBN phone lines are VoIP, and most stop in a blackout. What to check on power, Triple Zero, number porting, alarms and EFTPOS, and how to compare plan costs.
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Is your payroll software ready for Payday Super? What to check
Payday Super depends on your payroll software reporting qualifying earnings and paying super through SuperStream. The settings and questions to check now.
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Your turn
Quiz archiveThe weekly quiz
How closely did you follow the week?
Question 1 of 5
When do most of the Federal Court’s orders opening Australian iPhones to rival app stores start?
Show answer
Answer: C. 1 March 2027
Most of the orders start at noon Melbourne time on 1 March 2027. Apple can ask the court to push that to 3 May 2027.
Read the story: Court orders Apple to open Australian iPhones to rival app stores
Question 2 of 5
What does WordPress say site owners need to fix the two critical PHP flaws?
Show answer
Answer: A. A PHP update on the server, installed by the host or developer
WordPress says no WordPress update is required or planned. The fix is a new version of PHP on the server, which your host or developer installs.
Read the story: PHP’s critical fixes are out. Has your website been patched?
Question 3 of 5
What is the maximum penalty under the Digital Duty of Care bill introduced on 15 October?
Show answer
Answer: D. $109.2 million
The bill would require online services to keep Australian users safe, with penalties of up to $109.2 million. It isn’t law yet.
Read the story: New online safety duty could reach apps, games and websites
Question 4 of 5
What does Safari 27 now block?
Show answer
Answer: B. Trackers that turn an email address into a persistent tracking ID
Apple’s WebKit team says Safari 27 blocks network access to identity resolution services, which turn an email address entered at login or sign-up into a persistent tracking ID.
Question 5 of 5
What is the new price of Amazon Prime’s annual plan in Australia?
Show answer
Answer: C. $99
Amazon’s Australian site now lists Prime at $99 a year or $12.99 a month after the free trial. Information Age reports the old prices were $79 and $9.99.
Read the story: Amazon Prime rises to $99 a year in Australia
A new quiz comes out every Friday with the briefing. Get the Friday briefing by email
Reader poll of the week
Has anyone checked which PHP version your website runs since the critical fixes came out?
Reader polls aren’t scientific: they show how readers who chose to vote answered. One vote per reader. Background: PHP’s critical fixes are out. Has your website been patched?