The iOS URL Scheme is a way for apps to work around the sandbox limitations of the OS. But it can also be taken advantage of.
Andrew Orr
Since 2015 Andrew has been writing about Apple, privacy, security, and at one point even Android. You can find him most places online under the username @andrewornot.
Articles by Andrew Orr
Apple Killing AR Glasses and 'Product Design Troubles'
A report from Digitimes has been making the rounds, claiming that Apple killed its AR glasses project. Jesus Diaz thinks that it speaks to Apple’s “product design troubles.”
The report came yesterday from Digitimes, which has a mixed track record through its sources in component and manufacturing companies. It contradicts Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst who in March claimed that supply sources confirmed that Apple may start producing AR glasses as soon as the end of 2019.
I want Apple Glasses to succeed, so I hope the report isn’t true. If Apple can pull off AR glasses that actually look like glasses, it would definitely be, to quote Steve Jobs, magical. I don’t think Apple is killing the headset entirely, but they might be setting it aside for now, like they did with the HomePod.
Get Free McDonald's Fries With Apple Pay
It’s Friday so you know what that means? Get yourself some free McDonald’s fries when you use Apple Pay.
Minecraft Earth Registration Now Open
Speaking of Minecraft, registration for Minecraft Earth is now open for those who have iOS 10 or later.
Alas, since it’s a closed Beta, registering doesn’t guarantee you access — but in its FAQ about the Beta, the team notes that they’re planning to open it up to “hundreds of thousands of players” eventually, so your odds of getting in probably aren’t too bad. You’ll need to be over the age of 18, have a device running iOS 10/Android 7 or newer, and a Microsoft or Xbox Live account to get registered.
Hong Kong Apple Pay Coming Later This Year
Octopus confirms that Hong Kong Apple Pay is coming later this year to iPhone and Apple Watch.
Google Contractor That Leaked Audio Data Investigated
After a report found a Google contractor accessed and leaked Google Home recordings, the company says it will investigate.
T-Mobile Hosting 'Scam Block Party' on July 15
On July 15 T-Mobile will be hosting an online ‘Scam Block Party’ to raise awareness about its Scam Block tool and share robocall prevention tips.
Data Aggregator Claims Sign in With Apple Won't Have a Big Impact
Kazuki Ota, founder and CEO of data aggregator Arm Treasure Data, said that although Sign in With Apple will limit some tracking, it won’t eliminate it completely.
Treasure Data’s ID Unification feature can take attributes of multiple IDs and combine them into one profile across data sources. “Eighty to 90% of the work of creating this type of clean profile is actually having a lot of clean-up process of the data and also having a higher quality data,” Ota said. “It won’t be perfect, to be honest, because 100% clean data is almost an imaginary situation.”
I look forward to seeing the impact Sign in With Apple will have.
Apple Disables Walkie Talkie due to Bug
Apple has disabled the Walkie Talkie app on Apple Watch because of a vulnerability that could let someone secretly eavesdrop on your iPhone.
Federal Reserve Chairman Says Facebook Libra "Cannot go Forward"
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that Facebook Libra “cannot go forward” until serious concerns are addressed.
“Libra raises many serious concerns regarding privacy, money laundering, consumer protection and financial stability,” Powell said during his semi-annual testimony on monetary policy before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee.
“I don’t think the project can go forward” without addressing those concerns, he added later.
Being pessimistic, I wonder if they are genuinely concerned about things like privacy, or just don’t want the competition.
Apple Releases Mac Update to Remove Zoom Web Server
After the controversy surrounding Zoom and its hidden web server, Apple is pushing a hidden Mac update that removes it.
AT&T Robocalls to Be Blocked in the 'Coming Months'
AT&T robocalls will be automatically blocked, the carrier announced. New customers have the service now, and existing customers will have it “in the coming months.”
AT&T’s Call Protect service does three things: it detects and blocks fraudulent calls entirely, flags telemarketers and spam calls as “Suspected Spam” when the phone rings, and allows you to maintain a personal block list to specifically block individual numbers.
It’s about damn time that carriers start using robocall-blocking technology. And I mean automatically; they all have their various blocking apps.
Apple Summoned to Capitol Hill to Testify on Antitrust
Apple and other tech companies have been summoned to Capitol Hill to testify on antitrust in front of the House Judiciary Committee.
Japanese HomePod Launching This Summer
A Japanese HomePod will launch this summer for ¥32,800 (US$302.48). We don’t have a launch date but the order page is live.
Apple Starts Chinese App Development Program
Apple is starting a Chinese app development program in Shanghai to help developers create apps and expand its services business.
Fight Climate Change, Get a Free Nomad Lightning Cable
Get a free Nomad Lightning cable when you donate to the company’s Carbon Fund fundraising event. The minimum donation is US$5, which the company will use to plant trees. This is a steal because the cable on offer is normally US$24.95.
Every dollar donated plants a tree in Acre, a region of Brazil, that is being devastated by deforestation. We want to try to reverse this. Every ten trees planted captures around one ton of C02. Learn more about the project.
Health Insurer Anthem Poaches Apple Health Employees
Health insurance company Anthem has poached employees from Apple’s health division, as well as a couple of machine learning experts.
Nintendo Switch Lite Coming in September for $199
Nintendo unveiled its Nintendo Switch Lite today, coming in September and costing US$199.
Nintendo Switch Lite has integrated controls and is smaller than the flagship version of Nintendo Switch. It has no kickstand and, as a dedicated handheld gaming device, does not support video output to a TV. Therefore, it does not come with a dock or HDMI cable.
I love my Switch and its great to see a more affordable option.
Zoom Web Server Will Be Removed in New Update
In an updated blog post, the Zoom web server will be removed in the next update, given recent information that it can be exploited.
JULY 9 PATCH: The patch planned for tonight (July 9) at or before 12:00 AM PT will do the following: 1. Remove the local web server entirely, once the Zoom client has been updated – We are stopping the use of a local web server on Mac devices. Once the patch is deployed, Mac users will be prompted in the Zoom user interface (UI) to update their client. Once the update is complete, the local web server will be completely removed on that device.
Uber Comfort Adds Leg Room, Quiet Drivers
A new Uber Comfort tier lets you ask your drive for silence, and uses cars that have more leg room, climate control, and more.
The move allows Uber to charge more for slightly better vehicles and higher-rated drivers that used to be lumped in with its budget UberX tier. This also lets Uber compensate drivers better if they’re willing to forgo the small talk or crank the air conditioning. “Uber Comfort should result in fares for drivers that are at least 20% higher than UberX (not including surge or promotions) for a trip with the same time and distance” an Uber spokesperson tells me.
Twitter Bans Dehumanizing Language Targeting Religion
Twitter is banning dehumanizing language aimed at religious groups. Users can no longer compare these groups to animals or other analogies.
Notably, though, the new rules do not address other groups that may be targeted by this type of hate speech. The company says it plans to eventually expand the policy to cover dehumanizing language that singles out others based on their race, gender, or sexual orientation, though it’s not clear how long that might take.
Apple Music Student Trial Doubled to Six Months
The Apple Music student trial has been doubled to six months, giving students even more value as they decide whether to join or not.
MongoDB Database Exposed 188 Million Records
An exposed MongoDB database was found on June 18, 2019, containing 188 million records with personal information, just laying out in the open.
Open ID Foundation Publishes Letter about Sign in With Apple
The Open ID foundation published an open letter to Craig Federighi regarding Sign in With Apple. Although the foundation praised Apple for the initiative, it worries that it strays too far from Open ID and opens users to security and privacy risks.
The current set of differences between OpenID Connect and Sign In with Apple reduces the places where users can use Sign In with Apple and exposes them to greater security and privacy risks. It also places an unnecessary burden on developers of both OpenID Connect and Sign In with Apple. By closing the current gaps, Apple would be interoperable with widely-available OpenID Connect Relying Party software.