Tag: Apple

Apple Releases Major iPhone and iOS Device Update 11.3

There’s a lot to talk about in Apple’s latest update to iOS.  Version 11.3 boasts some significant changes and is well worth getting.  We’ll go over the highlights below.

Battery management is the biggest and most significant change.  Last year, the company found itself in hot water when they began quietly throttling older phones and slowing down their performance because older phones have batteries that begin to degrade.  In the absence of throttling, it’s entirely possible that a user’s phone will simply shut down when it attempts to run a process that requires more power than the aging battery can provide.

Despite the company’s good intentions, their decision to throttle older phones met with serious backlash from their normally adoring customer base, and the company has changed their approach in 11.3.  Now, throttling is optional and under user control if you have an iPhone 6, 6S/6S Plus, 7, or 7 Plus SE. However, all users, regardless of model now have access to a new battery health screen so they can keep tabs on the condition of their battery and make good decisions about if and when to replace.

Another significant change is the addition of a new Health Records section, which allows users to get easy access to their medical records if their doctor also utilizes the app.

On the business side, the 11.3 update comes with Business Chat, which allows select businesses to communicate with customers directly in the iMessage app, rather than via social media or email.  While there aren’t a lot of companies taking advantage of this feature yet, you can bet that in coming weeks, you’ll see a slew of big names signing up to take advantage of the service.

There is a raft of other, smaller features in 11.3, but even if there weren’t, the “Big Three” mentioned here would make the update well worth getting.  Kudos to Apple!

Biometric Authentication Seeing Wide Adoption In Businesses

According to a new report published by Spiceworks, nearly 90 percent of businesses will use some type of biometric technology for authentication by the year 2020.  In fact, some 62 percent of companies already use biometrics in some form, with another 24 percent stating their intention to do so within the next two years.

The particulars break down like this:

  • 57 percent of companies using biometric authentication use fingerprint scanners
  • 14 percent use facial recognition
  • Five percent make use of hand geometry recognition
  • Three percent use iris scanners
  • Two percent use voice recognition
  • Two percent use palm-vein recognition

There are only a handful of companies that provide biometric solutions. Of those, Apple dominates the space, providing 34 percent of fingerprint scanning solutions and 14 percent of facial recognition solutions.

The rest of the market breaks out as follows:

  • Lenovo Fingerprint Manager is used by 13 percent of companies that utilize biometrics
  • Samsung fingerprint readers are used by 13 percent
  • Microsoft’s Windows Hello (face login) is used by 13 percent
  • Android’s Face Unlock is used by seven percent

As widespread as biometric adoption has been, only 10 percent of CIOs felt that biometric solutions were secure enough to be the sole means of authentication.  IT security professionals have reached largely the same conclusion, with just 23 percent of them thinking that biometrics could replace traditional text-based passwords within the next two years.

The two biggest hurdles they see are the relative lack of transparency provided by biometric solutions providers about flaws and vulnerabilities discovered in their systems, and the lack of transparency around the biometric data collected by vendors.

Peter Tsai, a senior technology analyst at Spiceworks had this to say about the report: “Many IT professionals aren’t convinced biometrics can serve as a secure and reliable replacement for the standard username and password combo.  Unless technology vendors can address the security issues and privacy concerns associated with biometrics, the technology will likely be used side-by-side in the workplace with traditional passwords or as a secondary authentication factor for the foreseeable future.”

New Freemium Offer Mines Cryptocurrency

Freemium software is certainly nothing new.  They are free apps that offer premium features if you don’t mind ads displaying while you’re using it or paying a small fee to have the ads removed.  At least one company is trying a new business model on for size, albeit with limited success.

The company is Qbix, and their freemium app is called “Calendar 2.”  It’s a solid calendar app with more features than Apple’s default app, and the Qbix offers its users premium features if they’re willing to allow the company to make use of CPU cycles to mine cryptocurrency.

Hackers around the world have been enslaving the computers of unsuspecting users and using their processing power to mine cryptocurrency, all while making millions in the process. However, this is the first instance we’ve seen of a company attempting to bring the business model mainstream.

Unfortunately, there were two issues with the release of the latest version.  First, there was a bug in the way the mining app was implemented that kept it running, even if users opted out of the default setting (which is, of course, to accept the arrangement).

Second, and even more disturbing, the mining software consumed twice as much processing power as the calendar app claimed that it would.  Both flaws were discovered by Calendar 2 users, who did not have nice things to say about the app and expressed their concern that Apple had allowed the app on the App Store in the first place.

For Apple’s part, the company seems to have no problem with the revenue scheme, provided that the offering company gets the consent of the user. Although given Calendar 2’s less-than-spectacular-success with the idea, the company may well change their Terms of Service to forbid it going forward.

Apple May Soon Say Goodbye To Intel Chips

Rumors have been circulating for years that Apple has plans in the works to cut Intel and their chips out of the equation, in preference for using their own custom chips in its laptops and desktop computers.  Their iPhones and other devices already use custom chips, and according to the latest buzz, the move is designed to foster seamless interaction and cross-compatibility across the entire Apple ecosystem.

Back when such rumors initially began circulating, it was believed that the driving force behind Apple’s desire to cut Intel out of the equation was simply that they were looking to increase their profits.  Under the conditions of the current arrangement, Apple pays 5 percent of its profits to Intel in exchange for use of that company’s chips.  That, combined with the fact that using Intel chips makes it relatively easier for competitors to copy Apple’s innovations combines to create a compelling reason.

Nothing has come of those rumors for more than a decade, but the most recent iteration of the rumor may have some teeth to it. This is considering Intel’s ongoing troubles with the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities that impact all Intel chips made during the last decade.  Put that together with the above, and suddenly it seems like Apple has a lot of incentive to want to make a change.

The company’s stock took a hit on the heels of the rumor, but most in the Apple community feel it would be a net benefit to the company.  Not only would it give their products a competitive edge, but it would also allow Apple more control over their product development roadmap and ecosystem.

A recent Bloomberg report notes that Mac Pro laptops are slated to begin shipping with an Apple proprietary chip in the place of Intel’s hardware beginning next year.  In addition, according to the latest buzz, Apple plans to complete the transition across their entire product line by the year 2020.

More information on this topic as it becomes available.

You Can Now Search Google From iMessage With App Download

There’s a fun, new update for Apple’s iMessage app that will probably make lots of power users happy.  As long as you also have Google’s iOS app installed, you’ll be able to perform Google searches from within iMessage itself.

In order to make it work, you’ll have to go into the app drawer (App Store icon) and enable the iMessage extension.  Once enabled, all you have to do to use Google search is to tap on the Google shortcut icon to get the search box.  Even better, the update includes shortcuts for watching trending YouTube videos, scoping out nearby restaurants, checking out local weather conditions, and even a handy GIF search.  There’s also a quick news search option.

If you search for restaurant recommendations, the new app makes the results easy to share in the conversation you’re having. Although curiously, this feature doesn’t carry over to YouTube videos or news.  Even so, it can be situationally useful.

In a similar vein, Google’s keyboard app, “GBoard” also now has search built into it.  In fact, you don’t even have to have GBoard installed.   As long as you’ve got the core Google App, the search extension will appear in iMessage’s app drawer.

These are small changes, but if you spend a lot of time texting, you’ll find them invaluable.  Think back to prior text conversations you’ve had.  There have probably been a number of occasions when you found yourself wishing you could do a quick search on whatever topic you were talking about.

It’s great to see these kinds of changes as the cellphone market continues to grow.  When the iPhone first burst onto the scene, apps were few and far between.  Now, not only are there untold thousands of apps on the market, but they are becoming increasingly integrated.  That’s very good to see.

Latest IPhone Update Syncs Messages Across All Devices

If you use Apple products, you may have noticed an annoying “feature”.  If you’re using the messaging app on your phone and texting someone and then you move to your Mac and access the same program there, the conversation you were having on your phone isn’t present.  The two devices are messaging islands that can’t reliably communicate with each other. Since they can’t, you can’t start a conversation on one device and then pick it up later on another.

True, Apple fans have found workarounds for the issue, but these are far less than perfect.

There’s good news, though.  As of the latest iPhone update, your phone will now synchronize your messages across all Apple devices you own.

It’s a small thing, but you’d be amazed at how often it matters.  Back in the “good ol’ days” most people just had one computer they used for everything.  We no longer live in that world.  Today, there are more active smartphones than there are people living on the planet, and the smartphone is just one of the many computing devices we use.

The advent of cloud-based technologies made accessing data across multiple devices possible, allowing you to work seamlessly on the same project with whatever device you have in hand at the moment. However, some things (like messaging) have been impossible, or at least highly inconvenient to access across multiple devices. That is, until now.

Granted, this improvement won’t change the world, but it will serve to make your world more seamless, convenient, and efficient. That makes it worth talking about.

In a lot of ways, the upgrade is like tabbed browsing.  Until you start using it, you cannot fully appreciate just how awesome it is. By the time you realize how great it is, you’re hooked and can’t imagine messaging any other way.  Kudos to Apple for an excellent enhancement!

Windows 10 Gets iTunes App For Apple Users

Apple promised that its iTunes app would be available on the Microsoft Store by the end of 2017.  The announcement was greeted with enthusiasm, but unfortunately, the company didn’t meet their own deadline. They cited the need for more time to build a more robust user experience for Windows users.

The wait is finally over, and its big news, because some Windows 10 machines can only download apps, and prior to this, iTunes was offered as a standalone download only.

The app is fairly sizeable, weighing in at 476.7MB, and is compatible with both x86 and x64 PCs.

A recent Microsoft blog post had this to say about the announcement:

“Now you can download iTunes from Microsoft Store and easily play your favorite music, movies and more – right from your Windows 10 PC.  iTunes is also home to Apple Music, where you can listen ad-free to over 45 million songs and download your favorites to enjoy without using WiFi.  iTunes is free to download, and you can try Apple Music free for three months.  There’s no commitment, and you can cancel anytime.”

One thing to be aware of is that if you already have an older version of iTunes installed on your machine and you download this app, it will automatically replace your older version.  It is recommended, therefore, that you back up your data before downloading the latest.  While it does offer a better user experience, it’s not worth the loss of your existing library of files.

Kudos to both Apple and Microsoft here. Apple for bringing an excellent free app to the Microsoft Store, and Microsoft for continuing to play nice with their longtime rival, and allowing their massive user base the pleasure of enjoying a portion of Apple’s wonderfully robust ecosystem.

Apple Users Are Getting Group Facetime

Apple’s Legions of users love FaceTime, but there’s a problem with the highly popular app.  It only allows you to see and talk to one person at a time.  Apple fans have been clamoring for Group FaceTime for almost as long as the app has existed, and soon, they’ll get their wish.

Beginning with iOS 12, Group FaceTime will finally be “a thing,” allowing you to simultaneously talk with up to 31 of your contacts.  Even better, the new functionality will allow you to turn any iMessage group chat into a group FaceTime session, and switch back to iMessage at will.

Don’t want to be on camera in a group setting?  Apple has an answer for that too.  The company has announced that when Group FaceTime is rolled out, you’ll be able to place an Animoji over your face, or apply one of several different photo filters to disguise you. This is because they know that some days, you just might not feel “camera ready.”

At the end of the day, Group FaceTime is probably going to be a lot like tabbed browsing was for many users.  Until you try it, and until it’s readily available, you won’t truly appreciate its value. Once you try it for the first time, it won’t be long before you’re unable to imagine life without it.  It’s a cool, indispensable addition whose time has come.

Kudos to Apple’s loyal fan base for keeping Group FaceTime on the radar, and kudos to Apple itself for finally listening to their customers and giving them what they want.  While we could quibble that they took longer than we’d like to make this feature a reality, in the end, they listened.  That is the essence of business, isn’t it?  Giving your customers what they want.

Apple Recall Affects Some Macbook Pro Batteries

If you recently bought a 13-inch MacBook Pro (without a Touch Bar), you’ll want to head to Apple’s website.  The company didn’t make a big announcement, but they’ve quietly introduced a battery replacement program that impacted what the company described as a “limited number” of laptops.

The company didn’t provide many details, but apparently, on certain machines an unknown component failure can cause the built-in battery to swell.  There’s no danger of an explosion and no fire hazard associated with the failure, but the company is playing it safe and offering to replace the batteries on any affected laptop, free of charge.

According to details on Apple’s website, the laptops in question were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017.  If you visit the webpage, you can enter your machine’s serial number to see if your machine is affected, and thus eligible for the free replacement.

At this time, it’s unclear precisely how many machines this issue has impacted. But clearly, Apple wants to put this issue to rest as quickly as possible.

Battery swelling is a strange symptom, but surprisingly, this is not the first time Apple products have suffered from similar issues.  Not long ago, Apple’s 42mm Smart Watches suffered a similar problem, prompting the company to issue a similar recall.  The company also recently extended their warranty on first-gen Apple Watch models by two years, offering free battery replacements for up to three years after the date of purchase.

These recent moves have caused iPhone owners to cry foul.  On the heels of the Apple “Throttling” drama last year, the company offered a discounted battery replacement program to help bring older iPhones with failing batteries back to full speed.  While Apple’s $29 discounted battery price is a significant savings over the regular price of $79, some users argue that the batteries should have been free for these products as well.

WiFi Sync on iOS Vulnerable To TrustJacking

Owners of Apple devices have a new attack vector to worry about, called “TrustJacking.”  Symantec researchers recently stumbled across a pair of scenarios that take advantage of Wi-Fi syncing of various Apple devices. These are scenarios that also take advantage of the trust users have in the security of their own devices, allowing hackers to take complete control over those devices.

The flaw is a consequence of the way that iTunes Wi-Fi Sync is designed.  The vulnerability manifests when a device is connected and the user selects the “sync” feature. This creates an opening which could potentially allow a hacker to take complete control over the device.

The first issue manifests like this:  With the “sync” setting enabled, the device owner has access to both that device and a paired iPhone over a wireless connection, even after the device is disconnected from the syncing service.  That sets up part one.

Part two of the first scenario requires a bit of social engineering, where a hacker tries to trick the device owner to click on a malicious link that will install malware of the hacker’s choosing on the vulnerable system.

The second part of the second scenario targets users who are traveling.  A hacker could take control of a free airport charging station.  In order to make use of those free charging stations, users are required to trust the device.  As soon as that happens, the hacker controlling the charging station can remotely issue a command to connect to iTunes, and then enable the sync command.

Once those two steps are completed, even when the victim disconnects from the charging station, the hacker can still access the compromised device remotely, gaining access to most (if not all) of the user’s private information.

Unlike similar, recently discovered vulnerabilities in Apple products, this one distinguishes itself by allowing the hacker permanent access to the device, making it a dangerous vulnerability indeed.