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Kuo: Apple Watch Ultra to Get 'Almost No' Hardware Upgrades This Year

Just over six months ago, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the likelihood of a new Apple Watch Ultra being released in 2024 was "decreasing," but it now sounds like there will be an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this year after all.

In a direct message shared with MacRumors today, Kuo said that while the Apple Watch Ultra will be updated this year, the new model will have "almost no" hardware upgrades compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Kuo did not reveal any specific changes planned for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which will presumably launch in September.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported about a redesigned "Apple Watch X" with a thinner case and magnetic bands, but he said it would be released "in 2024 or 2025," so it is not clear if it will launch this year or next year.

blood pressure sensing and sleep apnea detection, and these features would almost certainly extend to the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 2

Tag: Ming-Chi Kuo

Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch Ultra (Neutral)

Related Forum: Apple Watch

This article, "Kuo: Apple Watch Ultra to Get 'Almost No' Hardware Upgrades This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/01/kuo-on-apple-watch-ultra-3-hardware/

Report Examines GM's Controversial Move to Abandon Apple CarPlay

An in-depth Bloomberg report today resurfaced General Motors' decision to replace Apple CarPlay with its own software.

Last year, GM announced that it planned to forgo Apple ‌CarPlay‌ in its new electric vehicles, starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV. Instead, the automaker introduced a proprietary infotainment platform, aiming to control and customize the digital experience within its vehicles. This transition is part of GM's strategic pivot toward enhancing its software capabilities and establishing a stronger digital services revenue stream. However, the change has not been without its hurdles, with numerous customers and automotive reviewers reporting technical issues and a steep learning curve associated with the new system.

iPhone's functionality onto the vehicle's dashboard. Apple reported in 2022 that 79% of car buyers in the U.S. insisted on ‌CarPlay‌ support when considering a new vehicle purchase.

GM's new in-house system, Ultifi, is envisioned as a comprehensive digital platform that offers a range of services such as navigation and media streaming, enhanced by subscription-based add-ons to drive revenue. Despite these aspirations, the rollout of Ultifi has encountered significant obstacles such as software malfunctions that dealerships have struggled to resolve.

GM's move is driven by a wish to reclaim customer connections and data insights from third parties, but customer resistance to abandoning a familiar and popular system like ‌CarPlay‌ that directly integrates with their ‌iPhone‌ poses a significant challenge to GM's strategy.

The outcome of GM's decision could influence future industry practices significantly. If GM can refine Ultifi into a robust, user-friendly platform that rivals or surpasses ‌CarPlay‌'s functionality, it may set a precedent for other automakers to follow suit. Conversely, if consumers continue to prefer established systems like ‌CarPlay‌, automakers may find themselves in a difficult position, needing to balance their corporate interests with consumer preferences.

Bloomberg's full article for more insights into GM's move to abandon Apple ‌CarPlay‌.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

Tags: Bloomberg, GM, General Motors

Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology

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https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/01/gm-controversial-move-to-abandon-carplay/

Remove Suggested Contacts From Your iPhone's Share Menu

When you go to share something on your iPhone, iOS tries to be helpful by displaying a row of suggested contacts at the top of the Share menu. Keep reading to learn how to get rid of them.

Whenever you go to share something on your ‌iPhone‌ or iPad using the Share button, iOS brings up a Share menu – often called the Share Sheet – at the top of which is a row of suggested contacts with whom you've interacted recently. Swiping along this row reveals more contacts, and the icon in the corner of each profile picture indicates the app that you often use to communicate with that person.

These suggested contacts are useful if you share a lot of things with the same people, but there may be times when you'd prefer not to see specific contacts there, for example if someone is a duplicate suggestion over multiple apps, or if you don't want to draw attention to your regular comms with a certain someone. Whatever the reason, you can actually steer these sharing suggestions to appear less often, or not at all. Here's how.

Make Contacts Appear Less Often in the Share Menu

Tap the Share button (the box with an arrow pointing out) in any app to bring up the Share Sheet.

Long press on the suggested contact that you want to see less often in the Share menu.

Tap Suggest Less in the popover menu.

Bear in mind, doing this won't guarantee that the contact doesn't appear in the Share Sheet again in future, but if you keep repeating it whenever they do show up, iOS will eventually get the message.

Remove All Contacts From iPhone Share Menu

Short of deleting their contact in the Contacts app, the only way to guarantee that someone doesn't keep turning up on your Share Sheet is to disable the contact suggestions row completely.

Open the Settings app.

Scroll down and tap Siri & Search.

Under the "Suggestions From Apple" section, toggle off the switch next to Show When Sharing.

Show When Sharing toggle again.

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Apple Discounts MLS Season Pass

Apple today dropped the price of the MLS Season Pass for the rest of the 2024 Major League Soccer season, which is about a third of the way through.

MLS in the U.S. now costs $69, which is 30% less than its $99 price when the season began in February. For Apple TV+ subscribers, the pass is now just $59.

The MLS Season Pass offers access to every live Major League Soccer match, including Leagues Cup, and All-Star games. Apple offered a similar discount last year, but it came later in the season in September.

Tag: Apple TV Plus

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TikTok May Be Breaking App Store Rules by Avoiding Commissions on Tips

TikTok appears to be quietly showing some users an option to purchase "coins" on the web instead of through in-app purchases, circumventing the commission that Apple receives on digital purchases.

As noted by David Tesler (via TechCrunch) TikTok has been offering a limited number of TikTok app users an option to purchase coins on TikTok.com instead of in the app. "Try recharging on tiktok.com to avoid in-app service fees," reads the text. "You can save the service fee and get access to popular payment methods."

TikTok might get banned from the app store next week

Why? It looks like they’re circumventing apple fee by directing users to purchase coins via external payment methods pic.twitter.com/VG8ihvsRmv

— David Tesler (@getdavenow) April 30, 2024

Following through and opting to purchase from TikTok.com brings up an interface for using payment options such as PayPal or a credit/debit card. "Save around 25% with a lower third-party service fee," the app suggests. The purchase workflow can be completed entirely in the TikTok app with no requirement to use in-app purchase.

TikTok's coins are used as a way for users to provide "Gifts" to creators. Users pay real money for a certain number of coins, and those coins are used for little gift emoji that can be provided to creators. TikTok says that gifts are used to determine the number of "diamonds" awarded to content creators, and diamonds can be redeemed for money. A TikTok coin is worth about half a diamond, and 100 diamonds is worth 50 cents, so TikTok is collecting quite a bit of money during the conversion.

App Store rules.

direct purchase options that Epic Games added to the Fortnite app back in 2020, a move that ultimately led to the banning of the Fortnite app and a multi-year legal battle.

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iOS 17.5 Includes 'Repair State' Option That Doesn't Require Turning Off Find My for Service

With iOS 17.5, Apple is adding a "Repair State" feature that is designed to allow an iPhone to be sent in for service without deactivating Find My and Activation Lock. The fourth iOS 17.5 beta that came out today adds a "Remove This Device" option for all devices in ‌Find My‌, and using it with an ‌iPhone‌ puts that ‌iPhone‌ into the new Repair State.

Right now, sending an ‌iPhone‌ to Apple to be repaired requires turning off Find My, and Apple says that it "might not" be able to repair devices that have ‌Find My‌ activated. Turning off ‌Find My‌ disables Activation Lock, an important anti-theft security feature that prevents an ‌iPhone‌ from being used with another Apple ID.

Apple currently uses ‌Find My‌ and Activation Lock as a way to ensure that a person sending a device in for repair actually owns that device, and that it's not stolen. An ‌iPhone‌ sent in for repair with ‌Find My‌ disabled cannot be tracked, and it is not protected from theft, so if it is lost or stolen at some point in transit during the repair process, there is no recovery method available. Removing ‌Find My‌ also has a hitch with Stolen Device Protection, as there is an hour wait when turning off ‌Find My‌, which can be inconvenient for repair purposes.

The new repair state leaves ‌Find My‌ turned on, so Activation Lock remains enabled, and the ‌iPhone‌ continues to be trackable with the ‌Find My‌ app while it is being repaired. When enabled, the device in the repair state has a "Ready for Repair" label. "This device remains fully functional in the repair state," reads the text.

In the list of devices, an ‌iPhone‌ put into a repair state has a small stethoscope icon, and it can be marked as lost. While in repair state, the ‌iPhone‌ is fully functional.

As of right now, using the "Remove This Device" option in ‌Find My‌ to enable a repair state appears to be limited to the ‌iPhone‌. Using it on other devices like an ‌iPhone‌, Mac, or Apple Watch shows a warning that the feature will remove the device from the ‌Apple ID‌ account, allowing it to be used by someone else. Note that an ‌iPhone‌ must be online and trackable through ‌Find My‌ for the repair state option to pop up. An ‌iPhone‌ that is offline will display the standard removal text. It is also worth noting that repair state cannot be disabled at the current time.

Related Roundups: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

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iOS 18 Rumored to Add New Features to These 15 Apps on Your iPhone

Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, and new features have already been rumored for many apps, including Apple Music, Apple Maps, Calculator, Messages, Notes, Safari, and others.

Below, we recap iOS 18 rumors on a per-app basis, based on reports from MacRumors, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and others:

Apple Maps: At least two new Apple Maps features are expected on iOS 18, including custom routes and topographic maps. Custom routes would allow users to choose specific roads to travel on while navigating, while topographic maps include details such as trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest for hiking. Topographic maps were added to the Apple Watch with watchOS 10.

Apple Music: With iOS 18, Apple Music will reportedly be able to auto-generate playlists.

Calculator: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 are rumored to feature a revamped Calculator app with several new features, including a sidebar that lists recent calculations, an improved interface for converting units, integration with the Notes app, and more. That means the Calculator app will finally be available on iPads.

Freeform: iOS 18 is rumored to add a new "Scenes" option to Apple's drawing app Freeform. This feature would allow users to select specific sections ("scenes") on the canvas for easier navigation.

Health: Apple is reportedly planning new AI-powered features for its Health app, but no specific details are known yet.

Keynote, Numbers, and Pages: Alongside iOS 18, Apple reportedly plans to update its iWork suite of productivity apps with new generative AI features for auto-generating slides in Keynote, writing faster in Pages, and more.

Mail, Photos, and Fitness: These apps will reportedly be "overhauled" with iOS 18, but no specific details are known yet.

Messages: iOS 18 is expected to add RCS support to the Messages app, which will improve the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices by allowing for higher-resolution photos and videos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, Wi-Fi messaging, and more. It has also been rumored that the Messages app will use generative AI to auto-complete sentences more effectively.

Notes: With iOS 18, the Notes app is expected to be able to display mathematical notation, allowing users to include more types of algebraic equations and formulas in notes. The app is also rumored to gain a built-in audio recording tool, eliminating the need to switch over to the Voice Memos app.

Safari: iOS 18 is likely to add a browsing assistant to Safari, which could summarize web pages and more. A new "Web Eraser" feature that would allow users to remove certain elements from web pages has also been rumored.

Shortcuts: With iOS 18, users will reportedly be able to automate complex tasks more easily with the Shortcuts app.

While they are not dedicated apps, it has also been rumored that generative AI technology will allow the iPhone's virtual assistant Siri and built-in search tool Spotlight to respond to more complex questions and search queries.

iOS 18 roundup.

Related Roundup: iOS 18

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https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/30/ios-18-rumor-recap-for-apps/

Apple Seeds Fourth Betas of iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third betas.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Developer Beta. An Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

iPhone directly from their websites, in addition to through app marketplaces.

iPad, with more information on what's new available in our iOS 17.5 beta features post.

Related Roundups: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

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https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/30/ios-17-5-beta-4-developers/

Assassin's Creed Mirage Launching on iPhone 15 Pro Models and Select iPads in June

Ubisoft today announced that Assassin's Creed Mirage will be available in the App Store starting June 6 for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as iPad Air and iPad Pro models equipped with the M1 chip or newer.

The game can now be pre-ordered on the App Store ahead of its release. The app will be free to download and play for 90 minutes, and users will be able to unlock the full version across compatible iPhone and iPad models with a single $49.99 in-app purchase.

Ubisoft says the iPhone and iPad versions of Assassin's Creed Mirage feature the same gameplay experience as the console version, but with controls adapted for the iPhone and iPad touch screens.

In Assassin's Creed® Mirage, you are Basim, a cunning street thief with nightmarish visions, seeking answers and justice. After an act of deadly retribution, Basim flees Baghdad and joins an ancient organization – The Hidden Ones. As he learns their mysterious rituals and powerful tenets, he will hone his unique abilities, discover his true nature, and come to understand a new Creed – one that will change his fate in ways he never could have imagined.

Assassin's Creed Mirage was first released for Xbox, PlayStation, and Windows in October.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15 Pro

Buyer's Guide: iPhone 15 Pro (Neutral)

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New AI Features Reportedly Coming to Safari in iOS 18

Safari will gain a series of AI-powered features and UI enhancements in iOS 18, AppleInsider reports.

Safari will apparently receive a range of visual tweaks alongside several new tools to improve the browsing experience, including:

An "Intelligent Search" browser assistant tool that leverages Apple's on-device AI technology to identify key topics and phrases on webpages for summarization purposes.

A "Web Eraser" tool that allows users to remove unwanted portions of webpages easily. Erasure is persistent, remaining even when revisiting a site unless changes are reverted.

A new, quick-access menu emerging from the address bar that consolidates page tools, bringing over some functions that currently sit in the Share Sheet and placing them alongside the new tools.

macOS 15 ahead of their unveiling at Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in June. Earlier this month, backend code on Apple's servers suggested that a new Safari browsing assistant is in the works, corroborating this report.

Farther in the future, Apple is said to be working on a more powerful version of Visual Look Up that allows users to obtain information on products when browsing through images. The feature is expected to be released sometime in 2025.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that ‌iOS 18‌ will "overhaul" many of Apple's built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness. Apple's next-generation operating systems are almost certain to be previewed during Apple's WWDC keynote on June 10, and the updates should be widely released in the fall.

Related Roundup: iOS 18

Tags: Safari, AppleInsider

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Amazon's New Apple Sale Has Best-Ever Prices on AirPods Pro, Studio Display, Apple Pencil, and More

Amazon today kicked off numerous discounts across multiple Apple products and accessories, the highlight being the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C for $179.99, down from $249.00. You'll also find deals on the Apple Pencil 2, AirTags, and Studio Display.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

For the AirPods Pro 2, this is a match of the all-time low price on the earbuds, and one of the only times so far in 2024 that we've tracked this discount. Fast delivery options have a May 2 delivery estimate, while free delivery will arrive around May 5 for most residences in the United States.

$69 OFF

AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) for $179.99

$79.00, down from $129.00. The Apple Pencil 2 is compatible with the iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th generation and later), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation and later), and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation and later).

$50 OFF

Apple Pencil 2 for $79.00

$24.00 and the 4-Pack for $79.99. These are both solid second-best prices on each AirTag model, and similar to the AirPods Pro deal, you won't need to clip any coupons to see these discounts.

$5 OFF

AirTag (1-Pack) for $24.00

$19 OFF

AirTag (4-Pack) for $79.99

$1,299.97, down from $1,599.00, which is an all-time low price. The Nano-texture Glass model is available for $1,599.97, down from $1,899.00, which is a second-best price.

$299 OFF

Apple Studio Display (Standard Glass) for $1,299.97

$299 OFF

Apple Studio Display (Nano-texture Glass) for $1,599.97

Both models come with the tilt-adjustable stand, but you can also find markdowns on the tilt- and height-adjustable stand. There are currently no deals on the VESA mount adapter models on Amazon.

Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Is Your iPhone's Alarm Not Playing a Sound? Apple Working on Fix

Apple today said it is working on a fix for a software bug that has resulted in some alarms in the Clock app failing to play a sound at the set time for some iPhone users, according to NBC's Emilie Ikeda and The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern.

The issue was highlighted by the TODAY Show on NBC this morning after gaining traction on social media platforms like TikTok. It is unclear how many iPhone users have experienced this issue, but not everyone is affected.

A rude awakening for some iPhone users 🚨⏰⏲️

Apple says it’s working to fix an issue causing some alarms NOT to play a sound. Here’s what we know —> https://t.co/cNYMgudgXC

— Emilie Ikeda (@EmilieIkedaNBC) April 30, 2024

The fix could be included in a future software update, such as iOS 17.4.2 or iOS 17.5, but Apple did not provide a timeframe for a resolution.

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Beats Solo Buds Launching in June With 18-Hour Battery Life and a Tiny Case for $79.99

Alongside the new Beats Solo 4 headphones, Apple's Beats brand is announcing an all-new entry-level model of earbuds, Beats Solo Buds. Priced at $79.99 and shipping in June, Beats Solo Buds deliver 18 hours of battery life and come in the smallest case ever designed for Beats earbuds.

Beats Solo Buds feature a custom-built acoustic architecture and an ergonomic design with four ear tip size options for a precise fit. There is no active noise cancelation on the Beats Solo Buds, but they do offer passive noise isolation to improve audio quality. A custom microphone design paired with an advanced noise-learning algorithm help deliver improved call quality.

When it comes to battery life, Beats Solo Buds offer up to 18 hours of playback right in the buds themselves without needing to recharge, which is easily the longest battery life for any Beats earbud product.

But when their batteries do run out, you'll need to find a power source, as the charging case does not include any additional battery storage onboard for recharging directly from the case. That not only helps keep costs down, but also allows for the tiny case that slips easily into a pocket and is 40% smaller than the case for Beats Studio Buds +.

With up to 18 hours of battery life in the buds, most users will be able to go multiple days without needing to recharge Beats Solo Buds at all. When that time comes, however, all they have to do is to connect a power source to the USB-C port on the case, and that power source can even be an iPhone 15. A Fast Fuel feature provides an hour of playback time with just five minutes of charging.

As with most other recent Beats headphones and earphones, Solo Buds include a custom Beats chip platform that allows for tight integration across both iOS and Android with one-touch pairing, automatic setup across devices, and support for Apple's Find My and Android's ‌Find My‌ Device services. The Beats 'b" buttons on the buds can be configured for a variety of functions, including music and phone call controls, voice assistant activation, and volume control.

Beats Solo Buds will begin shipping in June and will be available in four colors: Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red. With the introduction of Solo Buds, Beats will be discontinuing the standard Beats Studio Buds but will be retaining the more advanced Beats Studio Buds +. The Beats earbud lineup will also continue to include the Beats Fit Pro and Powerbeats Pro, so there will be a full range of truly wireless earphone options to suit all types of users.

Tag: Beats

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iPhone 16 Again Rumored to Feature Color-Infused Back Glass

For the upcoming iPhone 16, Apple will adopt the same color-infused back glass that features on the standard iPhone 15 models, claims a new rumor out of China.

Last year, Apple debuted a custom dual-ion exchange glass process on the non-premium iPhone 15 models that gives the rear glass layer a frosted effect that contrasts with the main frame color.

Apple's description of the effect on the iPhone 15:

"For the first time in a smartphone, colour is infused throughout the back glass, creating five beautiful colours. The back glass is strengthened with an optimised dual-ion exchange process before being polished with nanocrystalline particles and etched to create a luxurious, textured matte finish."

According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed focus digital," who claims to have seen the iPhone 16 color scheme, Apple will use the same process for the back glass on the new models, which could come in as many as seven colors this year as opposed to five.

iPhone 16 Models Rumored to Come in These Colors

another Weibo source suggested Apple could extend its dual-ion exchange glass process to the back of the iPhone 16 Pro, which is expected to have the same titanium frame as the iPhone 15 Pro. However, the source of today's leak does not mention the premium iPhone 16 models, and both Weibo accounts have yet to establish a track record for accurate Apple rumors.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Tag: Fixed Focus Digital

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Epic Games to Bring Fortnite to iPad in EU After iPadOS 'Gatekeeper' Decision

With Apple soon to be required to bring the same EU changes that it made on the iPhone to the iPad, Epic Games today confirmed that it will release Fortnite for the ‌iPad‌ in the future.

‌Epic Games‌ is already working to release an ‌iPhone‌ version of Fortnite in the EU, with the game set to be available from the forthcoming ‌Epic Games‌ Store, an alternative app marketplace. The ‌iPhone‌ version of Fortnite is coming "soon," and an ‌iPad‌ version will follow "this year."

said this morning that iPadOS, the operating system designed to run on the ‌iPad‌, is considered a digital gatekeeper under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). As a result, Apple has six months to comply with the requirements set by the DMA, and we've already seen those requirements implemented on ‌iPhone‌.

Today, the European Commission said that iPads will also need to comply with the Digital Markets Act 🙌

We’re moving full steam ahead to bring Fortnite and the @EpicGames Store to iPhones in the EU soon and iPads this year! 🎉 https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) April 29, 2024

As of iOS 17.4, ‌iPhone‌ users in the European Union can download apps from alternative app marketplaces rather than the App Store, and starting in iOS 17.5, apps are available directly from developer websites. Right now, only ‌iPhone‌ apps can be downloaded outside of the ‌App Store‌, but Apple will need to expand this functionality to the ‌iPad‌ as well.

Tags: European Union, Apple Antitrust, Epic Games, Fortnite

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FCC Fines AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Almost $200 Million for Illegally Sharing Customer Location Data

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today announced [PDF] that it has fined AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint/T-Mobile $196 million collectively for illegally selling access to customer location information without consent.

Sprint and T-Mobile (now merged into T-Mobile) have been fined $12 million and $80 million, respectively. Verizon has been fined almost $47 million, and AT&T has been fined more than $57 million.

first began investigating the four major U.S. carriers in 2019 after they were found selling real-time location information from customer devices to third-party data aggregators, which led to that location data being sold a second time to private investigators, bounty hunters, law enforcement agencies, credit card companies, and more.

violated federal law by sharing consumer location data. Fines were proposed back in 2020, but carriers were given an opportunity to provide evidence and legal arguments against the decision before the fines were formally imposed.

The fines vary based on the length of time that each carrier sold access to customer location information without safeguards, and the number of entities that were provided access. The FCC determined that carriers were obligated to protect the personal information of their customers, which they did not do.

"Our communications providers have access to some of the most sensitive information about us. These carriers failed to protect the information entrusted to them. Here, we are talking about some of the most sensitive data in their possession: customers' real-time location information, revealing where they go and who they are," said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. "As we resolve these cases - which were first proposed by the last Administration - the Commission remains committed to holding all carriers accountable and making sure they fulfill their obligations to their customers as stewards of this most private data."

The four carriers had different practices, but each carrier relied on contract-based assurances that the data aggregators purchasing the real-time location information would get consent from customers before accessing their location, which did not happen. Even after learning that data was being misused in this way, the FCC says the carriers "continued to sell access to location information without taking reasonable measures to protect it from unauthorized access."

Tags: T-Mobile, FCC, AT&T, Verizon

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First Physical Apple Cards Expiring Soon, Apple Shipping Out Replacements

Apple today began informing early Apple Card customers that their physical titanium cards are set to expire this summer, with replacements to be sent in the near future. Customers who signed up for the ‌Apple Card‌ in August 2019, when the ‌Apple Card‌ launched, will be receiving the notice.

It appears that the physical ‌Apple Card‌ is designed to last for five years before a replacement is sent out. Most of the ‌Apple Card‌'s functionality is digital, with options for rotating security codes and credit card numbers for online purchases, but there is a number associated with the physical card that's used for in-person transactions. Credit card companies add expiration dates to physical cards for fraud prevention purposes, to introduce new technology, and more.

From Apple's email:

We're sending a replacement titanium card to your billing address so you can continue to use it at physical locations. Remember, even without a physical card you can always use your Apple Card at any location that accepts Apple Pay. Your new titanium card will be shipped within 2 weeks from the date of this communication.

Replacement cards will include a prepaid shipping label so that customers can send in their old ‌Apple Card‌ to be recycled. Apple recommends that ‌Apple Card‌ users who receive a new card activate it when it arrives, as the current card is scheduled to stop working at its expiration date.

Tag: Apple Card

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Apple to Use 'Best OLED Panels on the Market' for Upcoming iPad Pro

Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models will feature "by far the best OLED tablet panels on the market," according to Display Supply Chain Consultants. Set to be announced on May 7, the OLED iPad Pro models will feature LTPO (a more power efficient form of OLED), a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, and a tandem stack and glass thinning that will bring "ultra-thin and light displays" that support high brightness, extended battery life, and a long lifetime.

As has been previously rumored, today's report suggests that the ‌iPad Pro‌ models will be available in 12.9-inch and 11.1-inch sizes, with both options to feature slimmed down bezels and a much thinner design. The 12.9-inch version, for example, will be over 1mm thinner than the current model.

There is a possibility that the 11.1-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ will be in short supply at launch because Apple has been dealing with light leakage issues that are not impacting the 12.9-inch model.

Apple Pencil and an updated version of the Magic Keyboard. Apple will also introduce new 10.9-inch and 12.9-inch LCD iPad Air models.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro

Buyer's Guide: 11" iPad Pro (Don't Buy), 12.9" iPad Pro (Don't Buy)

Related Forum: iPad

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Apple Faces New Cybersecurity Law in UK

A new British cybersecurity law mandates smart device manufacturers like Apple to enhance protections or face hefty penalties.

The legislation, known as the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act, introduces robust requirements aimed at securing devices connected to the internet to make it harder for cybercriminals to get access to private networks.

The law specifically targets the inadequacies in current security measures by mandating three major changes: the elimination of default passwords, a clear protocol for reporting security vulnerabilities, and detailed consumer information on the length of product support and software updates. These stipulations apply to all companies manufacturing or selling smart devices in the UK.

For Apple, the law will necessitate a review of how its products comply with these enhanced standards. While Apple devices do not use default passwords, the company will need to ensure that all of its connected devices sold in the UK clearly communicate the duration of security support to customers. In addition, affected companies are expected to establish or refine their contact points for security issue reporting.

Tag: United Kingdom

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iPhone 16 Lineup Dummies Show How Four Model Sizes Compare

One of the best looks yet at the rear design and increased size of Apple's iPhone 16 models was today shared online.

The images, posted on X by Sonny Dickson, show four dummy models representing the ‌iPhone 16‌, iPhone 16 Pro, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max. These units are designed to take the place of real devices for display or testing purposes.

pic.twitter.com/dlxXgpXV8U

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) April 29, 2024

The dummy models provide a clear look at the slightly larger size of the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max, which are expected increase from 6.1- to 6.3-inches and 6.7- to 6.9-inches, and how they compare to the other models in the lineup.

iPhone 13, Apple's two non-Pro iPhone models have had diagonally arranged dual rear cameras. The entire ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup is expected to launch as usual in the fall.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Tag: Sonny Dickson

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