Last fall, 911 emergency-response service centers in a dozen states were the victims of a massive cyberattack that resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of iPhones repeatedly calling 911 without the knowledge or direction of owners. Nearly five months later, Apple say it has fixed the apparent flaw that made the attack possible. [More]
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Apple Says Systems Not Breached After Hackers Threaten To Wipe Millions Of iPhones
By 3.23.17
Earlier this week, a group of hackers claimed to have email addresses and passwords for hundreds of millions of Apple accounts, and that it would use this information to remotely erase massive numbers of iPhones if a ransom weren’t paid. For its part, Apple says no account information was stolen from its servers. [More]
Hackers Say They Will Wipe iPhones Unless Apple Pays Ransom
By 3.21.17
Hundreds of millions of iPhone owners may be up a creek next month, at least according to a hacker group that claims to have unprecedented access to the devices and is threatening to remotely wipe them clean if Apple doesn’t pay up. [More]
Leaked Memo: Third-Party Screen Repairs Don’t Void iPhone Warranty
By 2.27.17
Like slices of buttered toast, cupcakes, and pans of lasagna, smartphones always seem to fall face-down when dropped. Third-party repair shops have popped up to help users when this happens, but using these companies while an Apple device is still under warranty has been a gamble until now. [More]
Apple Investigating After iPhone 7 Plus Reportedly Explodes, Catches Fire
By 2.24.17
Four months after Apple launched an investigation into the alleged fire of an iPhone 7 device in Australia, the tech giant is opening a similar inquiry stateside after video posted this week shows an Arizona teen’s iPhone 7 Plus smoldering in its case. [More]
The iPhone May Finally Get Wireless Charging
By 2.10.17
Years after Samsung made it standard in its Galaxy line of devices, it seems Apple could finally be joining the wireless charging party: A new report is predicting that the newest iPhones won’t need cords to power up the battery. [More]
FBI Attorney: Tech Companies Are Helping Dumb Criminals By Providing Quality Encryption
By 2.9.17
Much of the debate about encrypted devices and messaging services has been centered on more sophisticated criminal or terrorist activities, where the people involved are actively searching out ways to avoid detection by law enforcement. However, the FBI’s top attorney contends that tech companies may be inadvertently giving dimwitted crooks a leg up by making quality encryption so widely available. [More]
“Find My iPhone” Will Now Find Your Missing AirPods
By 1.24.17
For years, owners of the iPhone have been able to track their devices through the company’s “Find My iPhone” system. Now, the company is expanding the tracking system to include its new, wireless earbuds. [More]
Angry Customer Drives SUV Into T-Mobile Store, Keeps Destroying Stuff
By 1.13.17 — Updated: 1.14.17
While drive-thru customer service would be a delightful innovation in the mobile phone business, it is not yet available at T-Mobile stores. Even if it did exist, “drive-thru” doesn’t mean you actually drive through the store; a lesson that one angry T-Mo customer in Florida apparently forgot when trying to express her rage. [More]
5 High Points And 5 Low Points In The iPhone Decade
By 1.9.17 — Updated: 1.10.17
Ten years ago today, Apple introduced a product that was designed to serve as not only a music player, but a phone that could go on the internet — the iPhone. In the decade since, the company has surfed some huge news waves, sometimes riding high, and other times, totally wiping out. [More]
Court Rules That Police Can Force You To Tell Them Your Phone’s Passcode
By 12.13.16
Smartphones have taken over our lives faster than the law is able to deal with. For a few years now, it’s been kind of an open legal question whether or not law enforcement can force you to provide them with the password or PIN you use to unlock your phone. A few previous courts have ruled no, that having to provide your passcode is tantamount to self-incriminating testimony. But recently, an appeals court in Florida has found the other way. [More]
Why Can’t You Play ‘Super Mario Run’ Offline?
By 12.9.16
You may be excited to buy Super Mario Run to play on your iPhone or iPad come next week, but when you do, you’ll have to make sure you’ve got an internet connection first. [More]
Apple Support Site Now Includes Option To Schedule Repairs With Authorized Providers
By 12.7.16
When no one was paying attention, Apple updated its support site to include a new option for folks looking to get their iPhone or other Apple device fixed: The ability to schedule repairs with Apple Apple Authorized Service Providers. [More]
Apple Says iPhone Fires In China Are From “External Factors,” Not The Device
By 12.7.16
In the wake of Samsung’s massive, confusing recall of Galaxy Note 7 devices that could smoke, catch fire, and explode, consumers around the world are drawing attention to similar issues with other smartphones, including some battery fires with iPhones in China. However, Apple contends that these thermal incidents have nothing to do with the design of its signature phone. [More]
Apple Blames “Ambient Air” For iPhone 6S Battery Problem
By 12.6.16
A few weeks ago, Apple admitted that some iPhone 6S batteries were not working properly, causing the phones to shut down suddenly during otherwise normal use, and launched a repair program for affected consumers. But Apple hadn’t said why the batteries weren’t working properly… until this week, when it blamed the problem on air. Yes, literally air. [More]
Foxconn Employee Accused Of Stealing & Reselling 5,700 iPhones
By 12.2.16
This sounds like something from a TV episode, or maybe even a novel or film: an employee who works with sensitive, high-value technology manages to sneak test units out of the job for years and sell them for a fat wad of cash. In a movie, he’d take the money and retire quietly to a nice tropical island where the drinks come with umbrellas in them. In reality, however, he is now being indicted by Taiwanese authorities for the theft. [More]
iPhone Owners Complain That iOS Update Drains Batteries Unexpectedly
By 11.28.16
A week after Apple admitted that some iPhone 6S batteries weren’t woking properly and agreed to fix the power source for free, the company’s latest iOS update has been found to unexpectedly drain device batteries in a matter of seconds. [More]
Apple Intentionally Keeps Verizon iPhone 7 From Reaching Max Speed, To Match AT&T
By 11.21.16 — Updated: 11.23.16
You would think an iPhone 7 is an iPhone 7, right? Apple’s famous for making one consistent device that’s the same inside, and works the same way, from carrier to carrier. So it’s a little surprising that one carrier’s version of the phone actually could work faster than another’s… and even more surprising that Apple’s set it up not to perform as well as it can. [More]
