No one likes a snoop. That’s why Apple says it has fixed a security flaw in the iOS operating system that allowed the Siri virtual assistant to search Twitter on locked iPhones, leading to the unauthorized access of photos and contacts.
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Apple Fixes iPhone Flaw That Allowed Siri Twitter Search To Access To Photos, Contacts
By 4.6.16
FBI: Actually Maybe We Don’t Need Apple To Unlock Their Phone After All
By 3.22.16
Apple and the FBI have been fighting very publicly for the last month about national security, iPhones, and the intersection of privacy and encryption with those things. Their legal battle was supposed to be heard in court in California this afternoon — except the FBI has asked for a delay, saying that actually, maybe they don’t need Apple to create a backdoor to get what they want after all. [More]
Apple, FBI Testify About Encryption And Privacy In Congressional Hearing
By 3.1.16
The angriest battle in tech right now is taking place between Apple and the FBI. Two weeks in to a very public fight, the argument is only heating up. Today, the debate went over to Capitol Hill. [More]
Facebook Bringing 360-Degree Video To iOS Newsfeeds
By 11.12.15
While we once wondered why Facebook would spend $2 billion to buy virtual reality company Oculus, we’re starting to get answers. Two months after Facebook said it was working to bring virtual reality to consumers’ phones via newsfeed ads, the social media company unveiled an iOS version. [More]
Apple Launches Apple Music For Android
By 11.10.15
Apple fulfilled a promise to bring its subscription music service to the other side today, launching Apple Music for Android users. Most of the functionality for the new app is the same as its iOS counterpart, minus Siri integration. The Android-based app also offers a free, three-month trial of the service to new users. After that, the service costs $9.99/month for a single user or $14.99 for a family plan, so don’t forget to cancel your subscription if you don’t want to foot the bill after 90 days. [via ArsTechnica] [More]
If You’re Using iOS9, Check This Setting To Make Sure You Don’t Blow Through Your Data Plan
By 9.28.15
Even if you’re not one of the reported 13 million folks who bought a brand-new iPhone 6S or 6S+ this weekend, you may want to go have a look in your phone’s settings. There’s a new feature in iOS9 that’s supposed to be convenient for consumers, but is causing overage problems and billing headaches for some users. [More]
Starbucks Mobile Ordering App Is Now Available To All Coffee Lovers
By 9.22.15
Just weeks after Starbucks said it would roll out its mobile ordering feature to all U.S. stores by the end of the month, the coffee chain made good on its promise, extending the feature – on both iOS and Android devices – nationwide on Tuesday. The coffee chain had previously anticipated mobile ordering would be ready by the end of the year. Executives for the company said that the service was so popular – allowing coffee drinkers to skip long lines as they order and pay for their beverages with their mobile devices – that the company sped up implementation. [The Seattle Times] [More]
Apple Might Finally Let iPhone Users Delete Some Of Those “Junk Drawer” Apps
By 9.15.15
If you own an iPhone, you probably have a folder somewhere on your device that says “Crap I Don’t Use” or “Why Can’t I Delete This, Darn It?” that holds all of the native apps that come preloaded onto Apple phones, but that can’t be deleted. That junk drawer might be a bit less full sometime in the future, as Apple’s CEO Tim Cook says the company may allow iPhone users to remove certain apps. [More]
Starbucks To Roll Out Mobile Ordering Nationwide, Accept Android Pay By End Of Month
By 9.11.15
Android users – and those living in areas of the country where mobile ordering isn’t available at their local Starbucks – can soon order and pay for their morning cup of coffee straight from the comfort of their phones with little human contact, as the coffee chain announced today that it would expedite the rollout of its mobile ordering feature to all U.S. stores by the end of the month. [More]
With Ad-Blockers Coming To iPhone, Ad Industry Poised For A Fight
By 9.4.15
According to one estimate, some $22 billion in online ad revenue was lost last year because so many people use ad-blocking plugins on their web browsers. And that number is set to soar with an upcoming tweak to Apple iOS that will allow ad-blocking on the iPhone and iPad’s Safari browser. The ad industry is looking at a number of ways to stem this tide, including the legal route. [More]
Google Maps For iOS Adds Night Mode To Make It Easier To Navigate After Dark
By 8.7.15
There’s nothing quite like the white glare of your phone’s map app to annoy a driver at nighttime. Which is why Google Maps for iOS will now include a “night mode” with a darker background, making it easier for drivers to navigate in the dark. [More]
The Next iPhone Update Could Include A Photo Folder Just For Your Selfies
By 7.9.15
At first, nothing seems amiss. You’re scrolling calmly through the photos on your iPhone, looking for that particular duckface shot you took of yourself at that fancy bathroom on vacation last year, the one that makes you look more like Beyoncé than you could ever hope. But then the panic starts to creep in… where is it? Where did it go?! How can you post a throwback Thursday (#tbt) photo without it?!?! Relax, guys. Soon, you’ll likely never have to worry about where your favorite selfies are, because they’ll all be in the same place. [More]
Apple Working On Fix For Text That Instantly Crashes iPhones
By 5.27.15
It sounds like something out of a horror movie…if mobile phones watched horror movies. A certain string of Arabic characters, when sent to an iPhone, can crash the device and force it to restart immediately. It’s a hilarious prank, but also a nasty security flaw that could disrupt important phone calls. [More]
Sprint Customers Can Now Make Phone Calls Over WiFi With Latest iPhone Update
By 4.9.15
Minutes? What are these “phone minutes” you speak of? The latest iPhone update is basically going to do away with the need to count voice minutes for Sprint customers, who’ll be able to make phone calls over WiFi soon. [More]
iTunes And App Stores Down Worldwide, Other Apple Sites Also Reported Down
By 3.11.15
It’s easy to laugh at the idea of an iTunes-related emergency, but such a thing is possible. If you’re having trouble reaching services from Apple like the mobile and desktop App Stores, iTunes Store, and iBooks store, the company confirms that those are down for everyone, not just you. There are intermittent reports that other services are down, but Apple has not confirmed those. [More]
Researchers: iOS Bug Allows Malware To Replace Your Phone’s Real Apps
By 11.10.14
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — don’t download apps from third-party sites, or do so at your phone’s peril. Security researchers say they’ve found a particularly sneaky bug in Apple’s iOS that allows hackers to replace real apps with fakes, that can then steal log-in credentials and gain access to a treasure trove of your information. [More]
Microsoft Decides To Stop Charging For Mobile Office Apps
By 11.6.14
Realizing that it can’t make money if no one uses its products anymore, Microsoft has decided to allow iOS and Android users to access most of the functions in its mobile Office suite of apps — Word, Excel, PowerPoint — without having to pay a hefty annual subscription fee. [More]
FBI Director Wants To Change Law To Allow Easier Snooping On Smartphones
By 10.17.14
Last month, FBI Director James Comey expressed vague concerns that new privacy measures on iOS and Android smartphones might allow criminals to do bad things. Now Comey is saying it’s time to change the law to make sure that law enforcement doesn’t have to figure out your phone’s password. [More]
