Search results for: “X”

  • Mac app store issues for older Mac systems

    Mac app store issues for older Mac systems

    Mac users with older macOS versions are facing problems when trying to use the Mac App Store. Specifically, those with macOS Mojave (10.14) and older are having trouble.

    Reports started coming in around January 24, 2025, suggesting that something went wrong when Apple updated how receipts work in the App Store. Users are seeing error messages like “Something went wrong while logging in” or “We couldn’t read the data because it’s not in the right format.”

    The experience varies depending on which macOS version you’re using. If you’re on Catalina (10.15) or newer, everything works fine. But if you’re still using Mojave (10.14), you can look around the store, but you can’t buy new apps or download ones you’ve already bought once your session ends. For those on High Sierra (10.13), parts of the store’s interface might not show up, and signing in can be tricky. Users on Sierra (10.12) are seeing messages that stop them from even getting into the store.

    It looks like these problems might have something to do with Apple’s new way of handling receipts, but we’re not sure yet. For those stuck with these issues, Apple offers other ways to get macOS updates. Also, many apps can still be downloaded directly from the developers’ own websites, outside of the App Store.

    This situation leaves older Mac users in a bit of a bind, hoping for a quick fix from Apple to restore full functionality to the Mac App Store on their systems.

    Source

  • UK demands Apple create Global encryption backdoor

    UK demands Apple create Global encryption backdoor

    The British government has quietly asked Apple to give it full access to every user’s encrypted data stored in the cloud, according to The Washington Post. This secret directive reportedly came last month, compelling Apple to design a backdoor allowing UK security agencies to access encrypted user data around the world. This is a demand that has never been made in any other democratic nation.

    The order was delivered via a “technical capability notice” under the UK’s 2016 Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), which critics call the “Snooper’s Charter.” This law allows law enforcement to force companies to assist in gathering evidence.

    Apple has not commented on this issue. The law makes it illegal for Apple to even acknowledge such a demand from the government. Similarly, the Home Office declined to confirm or deny the existence of such notices, stating it does not discuss operational details.

    A consultant who advises the US on encryption issues said Apple would not be able to inform users that their encryption is no longer secure. A former White House security advisor verified the UK’s order.

    Apple Might Stop UK iCloud Services Over Privacy Concerns

    There’s talk that Apple might pull its encrypted storage service from the UK rather than weaken the privacy promises it made to its users. However, this wouldn’t stop the UK from accessing the service in other countries. Apple has hinted before that it might withdraw services like FaceTime and iMessage from the UK if privacy is compromised. Apple’s Advanced Data Protection, introduced in 2022, allows users to encrypt additional data categories like Photos and Notes, keeping them private even from Apple.

    Google, on the other hand, has made encryption standard for Android backups since 2018. When asked if any government had asked for a backdoor, Google responded that they can’t access encrypted backup data, even with a legal order.

    How to Secure Your iCloud Data

    The IPA was revised in 2023 to let the Home Office potentially ban certain encrypted services. Apple criticized these changes as excessive government control, suggesting they could prevent new security features from being offered globally.

    Apple CEO Tim Cook has always argued against providing backdoors, stating it would invite criminals to access user data. Cybersecurity experts agree, warning that any backdoor could be exploited. Apple’s resistance was notable in 2016 when they fought and won against a US order to unlock an iPhone.

    With increasing cyber threats from state actors, like those from China, US officials are now more focused on cybersecurity than ever, promoting encryption to protect communications. Privacy advocates, like Big Brother Watch, argue that such measures won’t make the UK safer and will instead undermine basic rights and freedoms.

    Source

  • Apple’s iPad still leads the way in tablets

    Apple’s iPad still leads the way in tablets

    Apple remains at the forefront of the tablet industry, holding a strong 42.3 percent of the global market in the last quarter of 2024, as per a recent study by Canalys.

    In that period, Apple managed to ship about 16.9 million iPads, an increase from the 14.8 million shipped the year before. Samsung came in second, with approximately 7 million units shipped, which gave them 17.8 percent of the market. Following Samsung, Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi took the third, fourth, and fifth spots.

    Over the entire year of 2024, Apple’s total shipment was around 57 million iPads, capturing 38.6 percent of the market share. This was more than double the number of tablets shipped by Samsung, who managed 27.8 million units.

    In 2024, Apple updated its top-tier iPad Pro with an M4 chip and gave the iPad mini a boost with an A17 Pro chip, while the iPad Air was enhanced with an M2 chip. Looking ahead to 2025, Apple is set to introduce updates to its budget-friendly iPad and give another refresh to the iPad Air.

  • Apple removes apps loaded with image-scanning malware

    Apple removes apps loaded with image-scanning malware

    Yesterday, cybersecurity experts at Kaspersky revealed details about a new type of malware called “SparkCat” that was found in a handful of iOS apps. Following this revelation, Apple swiftly removed these apps from its App Store.

    Among the apps affected were ComeCome, WeTink, and AnyGPT. In total, 11 apps were taken down, but Apple’s investigation led to the discovery of an additional 89 apps with similar malicious code, which had already been rejected or removed due to Apple’s strict anti-fraud rules. When Apple removes an app for such reasons, it also shuts down the developer’s account.

    According to Kaspersky, the malware included a harmful tool that could read text from images and screenshots on iPhones, particularly targeting recovery phrases for cryptocurrency wallets. The aim was to steal valuable information like bitcoin codes, but it could also grab other sensitive phrases like passwords.

    Apple’s default settings prevent apps from accessing your photos without your permission. However, if users granted these apps access to their photo library, the malware could scan for and transmit any matching key phrases to a server controlled by the attackers. The malware seemed to focus on iOS users in Europe and Asia.

    Since the release of iOS 14, Apple has improved how apps can access your photos, allowing users to permit only specific images rather than the whole album. It’s wise to be cautious with app permissions and avoid granting access to all your photos to apps that seem suspicious.

    Apple also offers an “App Privacy Report” feature, which you can find in the Privacy section of your iPhone’s Settings. This report shows when and how often apps access your sensitive data like your location, photos, camera, and microphone.

    It’s always good to keep an eye on these privacy settings to protect your personal information.

    Source

  • Apple’s new app gives clues about iOS 19’s look

    Apple’s new app gives clues about iOS 19’s look

    Rumors are swirling that iOS 19 will come with a fresh new look, especially for the Camera app, which might adopt a style similar to visionOS. But it seems the changes could be even more widespread.

    iOS 19 Design Rumors

    Apple fan Parker Ortolani pointed out that both the recent Apple Sports app and the newly launched Apple Invites app show a design that feels like it’s from visionOS. They use see-through or “shiny” buttons and other interface pieces.

    “The Apple Sports app already looked odd in iOS 18,” Ortolani shared. “It uses bright colors, shiny floating elements, buttons that grow when you touch them, and lots of overlapping shapes. Now, with Apple Invites, they’ve pushed this style even more. It has large, eye-catching cards, clear cells, big, bold buttons, and it all focuses on the content. It really seems like a preview of what iOS 19 might bring.”

    Apple Invites App

    While there’s no confirmation yet, this shiny look might spread to other parts of iOS 19. However, all this is just guesswork at the moment.

    Apple is expected to reveal iOS 19 at their Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025.

    Source

  • Rumors about Apple’s new Folding Phone

    Rumors about Apple’s new Folding Phone

    Apple might be planning to make a phone that folds in half, but the details we’ve heard so far are a bit shaky. There has been talk about a folding iPhone for many years, and now, a new rumor gives us some supposed specifics, although we’re not sure how reliable it is.

    • How It Folds: The rumor suggests that this phone would fold like a book with the hinge on the left side. However, earlier this year, there was talk about Apple working on a phone that folds up and down, more like a flip phone.
    • Size: The screen inside, when opened up, is said to be as big as having two regular iPhone screens next to each other, making it over 12 inches. But if you put two 6.1-inch iPhones side by side, you’d get about 7.5 inches, not 12. This sounds more like the size of a folded iPad Pro. There’s also chatter about a big folding device like an iPad or MacBook coming out in 2027, but that’s a different story.
    • Thickness: When open, the phone is supposed to be very thin at 4.6mm, but when closed, it would be 9.2mm. This seems a bit too thin, especially since even Samsung’s current folding phones are thicker when open.
    • Screen Supplier: It’s said Apple will get its screens from Samsung, but other rumors say Apple hasn’t decided on a screen maker yet and might choose one in a couple of months.
    • Camera: The phone might have a very slim front camera using something called Meta Lens tech, which was supposed to be for a different iPhone model but might not happen. On the back, there would be two cameras: a main one and an ultra-wide one.
    • Battery: The phone would come with two batteries encased in stainless steel, adding up to 5,000mAh.
    • When It Might Come Out: This folding iPhone is rumored to hit the market in the fall of 2026, which matches up with several other predictions from well-known analysts and journalists.

    Remember, these are just rumors, and not all might turn out to be true or might change as Apple keeps working on new ideas.

    Source

  • Apple’s New Robot Friend: A glimpse into the future by 2027

    Apple’s New Robot Friend: A glimpse into the future by 2027

    Apple’s team of clever scientists has made a little robot that looks like a lamp, with movements that feel very real. You can see all about it on their special research website. This robot, which kind of looks like the playful Luxo Jr. from Pixar, might just be a sneak peek into what Apple has planned for the future.

    In a video, we see this robot acting very much like a friend. Someone asks it about the weather, and the robot turns to look outside the window before telling them it’s a nice day for a hike. But when it hears it’s not invited, the robot seems a bit sad.

    In another scene, the robot follows the person’s hand signals, adjusting the light just right for taking photos with an iPhone. At another moment, it gently nudges a mug towards someone as a reminder to drink water.

    The robot also helps by showing a tutorial video on the wall when someone is trying to build something new, like a 3D printer. And for fun, it dances to music, making it feel like a companion rather than just a machine.

    The researchers, including Yuhan Hu, Peide Huang, Mouli Sivapurapu, and Jian Zhang, noted that making the robot move in a lifelike way really makes people want to interact with it more than if it just did simple tasks.

    According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, Apple might be working on something similar with an iPad-screen on a robotic arm. They’re thinking about announcing this cool device maybe in 2026 or 2027. This robot would understand your voice commands, like “look at me,” especially useful during video calls.

    This robot could be a fancy version of Apple’s upcoming smart home hub, expected to come out soon and priced around $1,000, though plans might still shift. This little robot friend from Apple is not just about tech; it’s about making our daily lives a bit more fun and interactive.

  • New iPhone update coming soon: iOS 18.3.1

    New iPhone update coming soon: iOS 18.3.1

    Apple is quietly working on a new update for iPhones called iOS 18.3.1. We know this thanks to our website’s tracking, which has proven to be a good sign of what updates are coming next. You can expect this update to roll out in the coming weeks.

    About iOS 18.3.1

    This update isn’t going to be a big one. It’s mainly about fixing small problems and making sure your iPhone is safer by patching up security holes. One thing to note, the feature that gives you quick summaries of notifications for news and fun apps was turned off in the last update because it wasn’t working right. We don’t know yet if this will be fixed in iOS 18.3.1 or if we’ll have to wait for another update.

    Looking Ahead to iOS 18.4

    We’re also on the lookout for the first test version of iOS 18.4, which should come out this month. This update is set to bring some cool new stuff like better AI features for Siri, new emojis, and the option for people in the EU to choose their favorite map or translation apps by default. According to Apple’s site, we might see iOS 18.4 in April, after some testing.

    So, keep an eye out for these updates if you want your iPhone to run smoothly and securely!

  • New iPhone tool helps find lost luggage at more airports

    New iPhone tool helps find lost luggage at more airports

    A new tool on iPhones is making it simpler for travelers to locate their lost or delayed bags at airports, and now more airlines are using it.

    Tracking Luggage with AirTags

    With the latest update to iOS 18.2, the Find My app now lets you share the location of your luggage if it has an AirTag attached. This means if your bag gets lost, airport staff from participating airlines can help find it more easily.

    This week, airlines like Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings started supporting this feature. Before this, airlines like Delta, United, Air Canada, and Air New Zealand were already on board.

    Sharing the Location

    If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2 or newer, you can link the Find My app to share your luggage’s location. Anyone with this link can check a webpage that shows where the luggage is on a map, which updates as the bag moves. Apple has ensured that sharing these links is both private and secure. Only a few airport workers can see the link, and they need to log in with an Apple Account or a partner email to access it.

    The sharing stops as soon as you get your bag back, or it automatically ends after one week.

    Expansion Plans

    Apple released iOS 18.2 in December, and they’re planning to work with more airlines in the coming months to expand this helpful feature. This tool is a game-changer for travelers, making the stress of lost luggage a thing of the past.

  • Apple releases first update for new party app

    Apple releases first update for new party app

    Apple has just introduced an update for their brand-new app called Party Invites, which was released for iPhone users on Tuesday. This app lets you make fancy digital invitations for your events.

    Just one day after its release, Apple came out with Party Invites version 1.0.1, fixing some issues in the first version.

    Here’s what’s new in Party Invites version 1.0.1:

    • The app now runs smoother and doesn’t crash as often.

    If you had any trouble with the app slowing down or stopping unexpectedly, try updating it and see if it works better.

    Curious about how cool these invitations can look? Check out the example I made, which is inspired by the invitation for the iPhone 5s launch. Many people noticed that the design of that event’s invitation looks a lot like the Party Invites app icon.