This year the Black Hat 2019 security conference will include a session with Ivan Krstic, head of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture.
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
On Covering Up Your iPhone Selfie Camera
Jack Morse writes how we should cover up our phone’s selfie camera, but doesn’t spend much time telling us why. 90% of the article is about webcams on laptops. The only phone-related thing mentioned is the iOS FaceTime bug. Ultimately the choice to cover up the selfie camera is a personal one, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
This writer has used the Post-it Note technique for a few years, and it works wonders. While every now and then I get some weird looks from strangers or friends when they see that I cover my selfie camera, just like with laptop webcam covers it’s likely they’ll all be doing the same before too long.
Mozilla's Track THIS Project Aims to Fool Advertisers
Yesterday Mozilla announced a new project called Track THIS that aims to fool advertisers. It lets you pretend to be someone else for a while.
iPhone and the US-China Trade War
Jason Dedrick, Greg Linden, and Kenneth L. Kraemer broke down the cost of the iPhone and showed how China doesn’t get as much value from iPhone exports as we think.
So what about all of those famous factories in China with millions of workers making iPhones? The companies that own those factories, including Foxconn, are all based in Taiwan. Of the factory-cost estimate of $237.45 from IHS Markit at the time the iPhone 7 was released in late 2016, we calculate that all that’s earned in China is about $8.46, or 3.6% of the total. That includes a battery supplied by a Chinese company and the labor used for assembly.
800,000 Shopify Merchants Support Apple Business Chat
All 800,000+ Shopify merchants now support Apple Business Chat. Merchants can use Shopify Ping to respond to customers.
For a Limited Time, Visible Removes 5 Mbps Speed Cap
Starting today and for a limited time, Visible is removing its 5 Mbps speed cap for new and existing members. Speed Cap Visible is a relatively new prepaid carrier that uses Verizon’s network. Disclosure: I’ve been a member since the beginning of this year and I’m happy with my service. https://youtu.be/dODUY9G2uSs For now, the speed…
How Much Does Your ISP Spend on Lobbying?
Paul Bischoff gives us a breakdown of the top 25 lobbying spenders in 2018, and how much they spent.
2018 was the biggest year yet for ISP lobbying at $80 million. Top spenders include AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast, which have amassed lobbying expenses of $341 million, $265 million, and $200 million, respectively since 1998.
DETOUR Act Aims to Stop 'Dark Patterns'
Dark patterns is a phrase used to refer to design practices companies use to manipulate you. The DETOUR Act wants to change that.
Visualizing Apple Product Release Patterns
Randy Krum created an infographic to visualize Apple product release patterns since 2007. He updated it for this year.
This year I further broke apart all of the individual product lines so you can see their separate release patterns, or lack of any discernible pattern. Some product lines, like the iPhone Release Pattern (ABOVE), have clearly defined release patterns that can be used to predict future product announcement and releases.
It’s a neat website, and he predicts that the 2019 iPhone will be announced September 10 and released September 20.
iWork 5.1 for iOS Brings an Text Styles, Face Detection, More
Apple released iWork 5.1 versions for Numbers, Keynote, and Pages for iOS. It includes text styles, face detection, an enhanced 128-bit calculation engine, and more.
OSX/Linker Malware Exploits macOS GateKeeper
Security researchers have discovered a piece of Mac malware called OSX/Linker that can exploit a zero day vulnerability in macOS GateKeeper.
Kenu BingeBank Launches to Wirelessly Power Your iPhone
Today Kenu announces its first ever powerbank product, BingeBank. BingeBank is a new all-in-one wireless charging powerbank, complete with an innovative nanosuction phone stand. The perfect accessory for binge watching on-the-go, it securely holds your Qi-enabled phone at the perfect viewing angle and wirelessly charges it at the same time. Users can watch hours of their favorite Netflix series, YouTube channel, and even video chat or live stream without worrying about draining the phone battery. It also works great as a travel charging dock. The 10000 mAh capacity adds up to 35 hours of viewing time to the iPhone XS, and in addition to wireless charging, you can use a cable to fast charge two other devices through the 18W Power Delivery and Quick Charge USB ports. The 18W Power Delivery USB-C port can fast-charge an iPhone up to 50% in as little as 30 minutes, and can also charge a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air with Thunderbolt 3. Kenu BingeBank: US$59.95
Free Video Streaming in New York Public Library Going Away
Two years ago the New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library partnered with free video streaming service Kanopy to give free access to patrons. But they are ending the partnerships on July 1.
Ultimately, this came down to a decision by the libraries, and where to focus their strategic priorities right now. We have witnessed incredible growth in user demand at these libraries over the past couple years and worked with the NYPL, BPL, and QPL to devise innovative new models that give them certainty and supports their budgetary needs.
Raspberry Pi 4 Available Starting at $35
Brand new device Raspberry Pi 4 is now available for US$35, offering USB-C for power, two micro HDMI ports, gigabit ethernet, and more.
At first glance, the Raspberry Pi 4 board looks very similar to our previous $35 products, all the way back to 2014’s Raspberry Pi 1B+. James worked hard to keep it this way, but for the first time he has made a small number of essential tweaks to the form factor to accommodate new features.
AT&T Administrative Fee Results in Lawsuit
AT&T is being sued in California over its US$1.99/month administrative fee that it doesn’t disclose in its advertised rates.
Those Mosquito Repellant Apps Don't Work
Devices that use sound in an attempt to repel mosquitos don’t work, and mosquito repellant apps that use your phone speaker don’t work either.
It’s all wishful thinking. There is no evidence sound emitting devices can stop mosquitoes biting. A review of field testing showed no protection was provided. Similarly, laboratory studies failed to show any bite prevention…There’s no reason to think smartphone apps are going to perform any better than any of the other gimmicks that have come and gone from supermarket shelves over the decades.
I didn’t even know mosquito repellant apps were a thing.
Apple Indoor Survey App Redesigned and Improved
Apple’s Indoor Survey app helps businesses add Apple’s Indoor Positioning in their stores. It’s been recently updated and redesigned.
Facebook VP Nick Clegg Makes a Compelling Pro-Apple Argument
Facebook VP Nick Clegg makes the same argument as Sundar Pichai when it comes to Apple. Although he thinks he’s making an argument against Apple, he’s really arguing for Apple.
Facebook is free — it’s for everyone. Some other big tech companies make their money by selling expensive hardware or subscription services, or in some cases both, to consumers in developed, wealthier economies. They are an exclusive club, available only to aspirant consumers with the means to buy high-value hardware and services.
Facebook is free only because they sell advertising using customer data. Apple makes money from hardware and subscriptions. It’s precisely because of companies like Facebook and Google that privacy is seen as a luxury.
iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina Public Beta Ready for Testers
Although originally slated for July, Apple decided to release the macOS Catalina public beta today, as well as iOS 13 and iPadOS.
DASHBOARD Act Could Reveal How Much Our Data is Worth
Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) will introduce the DASHBOARD act so people can know how much their data is worth.
Apple Shares 'Cascade' Experiments Video Shot on iPhone XS
Over the weekend Apple shared a video called ‘Cascade’ shot on iPhone XS by Donghoon Jun and James Thornton of Incite in collaboration with WET.
The video offers incredibly close-up looks at water in a variety of different environments, showcasing the potential of the iPhone XS camera. The video shows off features such as slo-mo, 4K, and more.
It’s a beautiful video and part of Apple’s Experiments series.
News+: Apple's Courage to Remove the Headphone Jack
In the latest magazine issue of Macworld, Michael Simon writes about Apple’s courage to remove the headphone jack.
At the iPhone 7 introduction, Apple VP Phil Schiller talked about having the “courage” to make the change, to leave the headphone jack behind. At the time it was kind of cringe-worthy…But you know what? He was right. It might have sounded like the reality distortion field on steroids, but Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack from its most popular product wasn’t a flippant design whim. It was the start of a new strategy that would bring convenience, simplicity, and downright delight.
This is part of Andrew’s News+ series, where he shares a magazine every Friday to help people discover good content in Apple News+.
Trump Adds 5 More Chinese Companies to U.S. Blacklist
President Trump added five more Chinese companies to the U.S. blacklist. This means they can’t buy U.S. components.
Apple Card Leak Show Weight, More in Images
An Apple Card leak from an anonymous source to iMore shows the card’s weight, package, and approval. Apple Card Leak After applying for a card, it took about a week for it to arrive. On a scale, the Apple Card weighs 0.52 ounces (14.74 grams). The minimal sleeve that the card arrives in shows an embossed Apple…