My thanks to Clerk for sponsoring last week at DF. Clerk makes authentication for iOS apps effortless — just drop in pre-built SwiftUI components for sign-in, MFA, and profile management. Fully customizable, always in sync with Apple’s design system, and packed with features developers love: social sign-in, user roles, and organization management.

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The bottom line is that users setting up new Apple Watches in the EU will now get a somewhat slightly worse experience in the name of parity with accessories made by third-party companies. It remains to be seen whether users of third-party iPhone accessories and peripherals in the EU will see any benefit at all.

For your weekend listening enjoyment: a new episode of America’s favorite 3-star podcast, with special guest Stephen Robles. Topics include indie media and YouTube, Shortcuts and automation, and the state of podcasting.

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Luke Igel and Riley Walz made a phony Gmail interface that, rather than showing you your email, shows you Jeffrey Epstein’s emails:

You’re logged in as Jeffrey Epstein. We compiled these Epstein estate emails from the House Oversight release by converting the PDFs to structured text with an LLM.

Brilliant.

Apple Store:

The Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand is a MagSafe compatible adaptive accessory for iPhone designed by Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple. Designed with direct input from individuals with disabilities affecting muscle strength, dexterity, and hand control, this ergonomic grip was designed with accessibility in mind from the ground up. The grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe, can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand to support iPhone at two different viewing angles, both vertically and horizontally. Inspired by modern sculpture, each Hikawa product is an art object unto itself. The limited edition Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand is available in two colors, a bold, high-visibility Chartreuse and recycled Crater, exclusive to Apple.

Looks like a perfectly cromulent accessory, but Chartreuse and Crater are both a bit out there — in different ways — to be the only two color options. Or, I should say, were a bit out there. Both are already sold out from Apple.

I’m not quite sure what’s limited about the Chartreuse, given that Hikawa’s website still lists it as “ready to ship” along with pre-orders for Cobalt and Blurple Swirl (whose URL seems a bit rushed).

Amusing to see Apple partner with a company whose main products alongside iPhone cases are fanciful toilet seats.