MacRumors

Last week, we reported on a severe new kind of Mac malware that has been found to infect via Xcode, discovered by security researchers at Trend Micro.

In an exclusive interview with MacRumors, the security researchers behind the discovery, Oleksandr Shatkivskyi and Vlad Felenuik, have provided more information about their research.

The malware, which is part of the XCSSET family, is "an unusual infection" that is injected into Xcode projects. When the project is built, the malicious code is run. This can lead to "a rabbit hole of malicious payloads," and poses a significant risk to Mac users.

Specifically, the malware was found to be capable of abusing Safari and other browsers to steal data. It can use a vulnerability to read and dump cookies, create backdoors in JavaScript, and in turn modify displayed websites, steal private banking information and passwords, and block password changes. It was also found to be able to steal information from apps such as Evernote, Notes, Skype, Telegram, QQ, and WeChat, take screenshots, upload files to the attacker's specified server, encrypt files, and display a ransom note.

Shatkivskyi and Felenuik told MacRumors that they believe the XCSSET malware will become extremely common among bad actors who seek to exploit Mac systems. The malware is particularly dangerous because verification methods, such as checking hashes, would not identify infection. It was found to be present in projects shared on GitHub. This means that developers who rely on repositories could face a supply-chain attack and be unaware that their project has become infected.

Xcode projects infected with the malware can create maliciously modified applications, unbeknownst to the developers who make the apps, and may then distribute them as trojans. Shatkivskyi and Felenuik believe that the Mac App Store review team will be largely unable to detect apps that contain the XCSSET malware. "As an iOS developer I know how easy it is to fool them and release an app with hidden features," Shatkivskyi said.

Shatkivskyi and Felenuik first approached Apple about the issue as early as December 2019, and they hope that Apple will be decisive and swift in its response to resolving the vulnerability. They suggest that Apple could implement privacy notifications, the likes of which came to iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, to alert Mac users when the malware is active on their systems, in an effort to explicitly alert users to a potential breach.

Shatkivskyi and Felenuik did not have access to a Mac Developer Transition Kit with Apple Silicon for testing, but they believe "there is no doubt that the malware will work" on Macs running Apple Silicon. In spite of the severity of the XCSSET malware, they maintain that macOS is a safe operating system and are optimistic about the future of combating malware.

"Apple have some work to do, but still macOS is the most secure platform available. I am delighted by how Apple stands for privacy. However, I am sure that malware development will get almost impossible in the future. But it has nothing to do with the Mac transition to Apple silicon."

Going forward, the researchers caution Mac users to be alert for unusual activity with permission alerts. Any repeated or suspicious notifications asking for permissions on macOS may be an indication of an infection. Trend Micro encourages users to consider multilayered security solutions.

"In order to stay safe, you have to be somewhat paranoid. Don't allow any app to record your screen. Also, pay attention to what is running on your Mac. I never use any pirated software due to its insecurity, I use only licensed ones," Shatkivskyi said.

The pair continue to actively research other threats to macOS.

Apple today confirmed that its second-generation iPhone SE is now being assembled in India for orders placed within the country.

In a statement shared with The Times of India, Apple said "iPhone SE packs our most powerful chip into our most popular size at our most affordable price and we're excited to be making it in India for our local customers."

The new iPhone SE is being assembled by Wistron at its facility in Bengaluru, according to the report. Wistron also assembles iPhone 7 models in India, and in the past, it has assembled the original iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s in the country. Last week, it was reported that Wistron could start assembling iPhone 12 models in India next year as well.

Apple's largest manufacturing partner Foxconn has also made a push into India, where it now assembles iPhone 11 and iPhone XR models.

Wistron and Foxconn are among a growing number of Apple suppliers that have shifted more production to countries like India and Vietnam amid the U.S.-China trade war. Foxconn, which reportedly plans to invest up to $1 billion to expand its Indian operations, recently said that China's "days as the world's factory are done."

Foxconn and Pegatron are among several companies eyeing new factories in Mexico as well, possibly for iPhone assembly, according to Reuters.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today announced that it will donate $10 to the National Park Foundation for each purchase made with Apple Pay on Apple.com, through the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store in the United States from August 24 through August 30. Apple is limiting its donations to the first 100,000 transactions of $10 or more.

The National Park Foundation, the official charitable partner of the National Park Service, raises funds to directly support, protect, and manage America's national parks.

"Our national parks strengthen our connection to nature, to one another, and to the soul of our nation," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "We're excited to continue building on our four-year partnership with the National Park Foundation, and to support their work to preserve our parks for generations to come."

As noted by Kyle Seth Gray, there will also be a national parks-themed Activity Challenge for Apple Watch users on August 30. Users can earn the award by completing a hike, walk, run, or wheelchair workout of a mile (1.6km) or longer. The workout can be completed from any location, so visiting a national park is not necessary.

All national parks across the United States will waive entrance fees on August 25 in celebration of the National Park Service's birthday.

Update: In a press release tied to this announcement, Apple has also indicated that it is making special national parks content available in the Apple TV app, Apple Music, and the App Store.

The Apple TV app will feature a national parks highlight on the Watch Now page, including "Aerial America" from the Smithsonian Channel, along with other relevant shows and movies that explore and celebrate the natural world. In the App Store, customers can check out a collection of its most popular apps for safely exploring the outdoors, including AllTrails: Hike, Bike & Run (AllTrails, Inc.), National Park Trail Guide (Adventure Projects Inc.), PeakVisor (Routes Software SRL), and other guides to parks and trails around the world. And Apple Music will feature its updated Nature Awaits playlist, so even if users can't make it out to the parks, they can hit play and let their imaginations wander.

Billie Eilish, Orville Peck, Megan Thee Stallion, and Anderson Paak are among the artists featured in a colorful new Apple Music ad shared on YouTube over the weekend. The video is titled "Worldwide," reflecting Apple Music's availability in 165 countries.

"Apple Music brings you closer than ever to iconic artists, rising stars, new discoveries, and legendary entertainers," the video description says.

Last week, Apple renamed its worldwide radio station Beats 1 to Apple Music 1. The station can be accessed through the Radio tab in the Music app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices, with no Apple Music subscription required.

Launched in 2015, the newly renamed Apple Music 1 is a 24-hour live radio station broadcast by Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden, and other DJs out of studios in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and London. Apple describes the station as "the center for pop culture conversation and artist-led programming, and the global destination for artists from around the world to release new music, break news, and speak directly to their fans."

After becoming the first U.S. company to reach a market capitalization of $2 trillion last week, Apple's stock continues to soar as investors pour money into the company. Apple's stock officially opened this morning above the $500 mark, up another 3.5% to $515.

Apple and other tech heavyweights have seen their share prices rise significantly since market lows in March, with Apple more than doubling from its low of $224.

Apple's time as a $500+ stock will be short-lived even if it doesn't drop due to market trading, as the company's four-for-one stock split will take place at the close of trading on Friday, lowering Apple's share price to around $125. Apple's overall market value will be unchanged, however, as shareholders will receive three additional shares for each share they currently own.

Amazon is now matching the price of the AirPods Pro that we've been tracking at Verizon over the past few weeks, allowing customers to purchase the noise-cancelling headphones for $219.99, down from $249.00.

The AirPods Pro have gone down to a slightly lower price of $214 in new condition this year, but this $30 discount remains the most consistent sale, and it should be easier for more people to take advantage of thanks to Amazon.

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.

No discount code is required to get the deal, and Amazon has the AirPods Pro in stock so shipping should be within the next few days. Amazon also includes 90 days of Amazon Music Unlimited for free with the purchase of the AirPods Pro.

AirPods Pro are Apple's high-end headphones, with support for Active Noise Cancellation. The AirPods Pro also have overall better sound quality than the AirPods, and custom silicone ear-tips that provide a more snug fit for different ear sizes.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

Apple's South Korea business has offered to make a 100 billion won ($84 million) payout to support small businesses and help consumers, according to the country's competition watchdog (via Reuters).

The Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) investigated Apple Korea in 2016 for requiring SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG Uplus Corp to pay the cost of television advertisements and warranty service for its iPhones. The probe found that Apple holds a clear advantage over local mobile carriers and that handing over the cost of advertisements was another means of squeezing the profits of the carriers.

In June of this year, the antitrust regulator decided to allow Apple to map out a set of measures to address its anti-competitive business practices in the country, and Apple has now agreed to fix unfair terms with mobile carriers as part of its proposal. Apple said it will discuss how to share advertising costs with telecoms firms, which will help reduce burdens to carriers, the KFTC said in a briefing.

Apple has reportedly pledged to offer 40 billion won ($34 million) to build a center to support research and development for Korea's small manufacturers and 25 billion won ($21 million) to establish an "academy" to provide education to developers. The rest of the 100 billion won would be used to give consumer discounts on warranty repair costs and other benefits, according to Reuters.

Provided the KFTC accepts Apple's offer, the regulator will close the case and conclude that Apple has not done anything illegal.

Even if that does happen though, Apple could be facing another probe by Korean regulators for its business practices. Last week, an alliance of app developers and small companies submitted a petition to the Korea Communications Commission asking for an investigation into whether Apple and Google may be violating Korean laws on in-app purchases and anti-competitive behavior.

A group of WeChat users has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in an effort to block an executive order that would ban the app in the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Earlier this month, President Trump signed two executive orders that would officially ban any U.S. transactions with ByteDance and Tencent, the Chinese companies that own TikTok and WeChat, respectively. The order will be enacted on September 20, but TikTok can avoid a ban if an American company can agree a deal to acquire its U.S. operations before that date.

Filed by the WeChat Users Alliance and several other plaintiffs in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, the lawsuit claims the executive order to ban WeChat is unconstitutional and violates the right to free speech. It also claims the ban illegally targets Chinese-Americans who use WeChat to communicate with Chinese citizens. An attorney for the group, which is made up of people who depend on WeChat for personal and business purposes, says it is hoping that the Trump administration will have to clarify which WeChat transactions would be subject to the ban.

WeChat is extremely popular with Chinese mobile device users, essentially operating as its own platform on top of iOS and Android for many users, but the app is also widely used around the world and has over 1.2 billion monthly active users.

It's still unclear whether the ban applies to the WeChat app only in the United States or if it will result in the removal of the WeChat app from iPhones across the globe. At any rate, any ban would be bad news for Apple. In a worst-case scenario, Apple's annual global iPhone shipments could decline by 25–30% if it is forced to remove WeChat from its App Stores around the world, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a Weibo survey, 95 percent of the 1.2 million people who responded said they would switch to an Android smartphone over an ‌‌iPhone‌‌ rather than give up WeChat.

Over the weekend, TikTok also confirmed it plans to sue the Trump administration over the executive order, perhaps as early as Monday. ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, is believed to be in talks with Microsoft about the software giant acquiring the app's U.S. operations. Other companies including Twitter are also reportedly in talks with TikTok.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today announced the imminent opening of Apple Marina Bay Sands, its third and arguably most distinctive retail store in the country of Singapore.

Apple Marina Bay Sands has a unique dome-like design unlike any other Apple store. The spherical structure sits on a body of water that was previously occupied by the mega-nightclub Avalon on Singapore's Marina Bay, home to the country's most renowned integrated luxury resort.

Apple's webpage for the retail location says the company will "soon open the doors" to the new store, which will be the third to open in the region in just over three years.

We will soon open the doors to our new store by the Bay. Apple Marina Bay Sands will be at the heart of creativity, a place we’ve made for you to capture your ideas and passions. It will be a space for you to explore, connect and create something new. We can't wait to see where your imagination takes you.

Apple's iconic Jewel store opened in Singapore's main airport in July of last year. The company opened its first Singapore store in May 2017 at Knightsbridge mall in Orchard Road. Apple Orchard Road was also the first Apple store to open its doors in South-east Asia.

In this week's App Recap, we've highlighted productivity app "Done," photo and video app "RTRO," and finance app "Subtrack" as three apps that are worth checking out.

Apps to Check Out

• Done: A Simple Habit Tracker (iOS, One-Time Purchase) - Done, an app designed to help users create healthy routines, features the ability to set goals and track progress for daily habits. Each habit can be customized with a unique color bar, reminders, notes, the ability to be set for multiple times per day, and more. All habit data with totals and time stamps can also be conveniently exported in a CSV file. The app is free to download, and users have the option to purchase Done's $8.99 one-time upgrade to track more than three habits at once.
  

• RTRO - Camera by Moment (iOS, Subscription) - RTRO features a vintage video camera in which users can record up to 60 seconds of video at once. The app features filter-like "looks" that add a neat touch to content. Users can shoot video at 6, 12, 18, 24, or 30 frames per second, and videos can be trimmed or cropped to a 16:9, 4:3, or 1:1 aspect ratio. Once the shooting and editing process has been completed, users can save the video or export it to social media platforms. Three looks are available for free upon downloading the app, but each additional look costs $1.99. Users can subscribe to RTRO+, which is available in either a subscription priced at $3.99 per month and $19.99 per year or a one-time purchase of $49.99, to gain access to all looks, edit videos from the device's camera roll, control the video frame rate, and more.
• Subtrack (iOS & Mac, One-Time Purchase) - Subtrack is an app that lets users easily track subscriptions. The app's simple interface makes is quite easy to visualize total and average spending over various time periods. Subtrack's syncs all subscription data through iCloud, so no signup is required. The app's developers have emphasized the importance of user privacy, as the app was designed to not collect any personal data. Although Subtrack is free to download, there's an in-app purchase of $2.99 to track more than three subscriptions at once, export subscriptions in a single CSV file, and access over 20 custom app icons.

Are you using a great new app we've missed? Let us know in the comments and we'll check it out for next week's App Recap. Are you a developer of a unique app you'd like us to consider? Send us a message through our tip line at the top of the page and we'll check it out.

Fortnite creator Epic Games has argued that Apple's plan to terminate its Developer Program membership would be "overbroad retaliation" and "an unlawful effort to maintain its monopoly and chill any action by others who might dare oppose Apple."

Earlier this month, Epic Games strategically violated Apple's rules regarding in-app purchases by introducing its own direct payment option for in-game currency in its hit game Fortnite on iOS. Apple promptly removed Fortnite from the App Store and subsequently informed Epic Games that its Developer Program membership would be terminated within two weeks unless it resubmits Fortnite without the direct payment option.

By having its Developer Program membership terminated, Epic Games would not only lose its ability to develop Fortnite for iOS, but also its popular game engine Unreal Engine for iOS and macOS, which thousands of developers rely on for their games.

In a court filing [PDF] today, Epic Games said that multiple Unreal Engine licensees have contacted the company "expressing grave concern over Apple's actions and its impact on their iOS and macOS-bound projects," including Microsoft.

In a declaration in support of Epic Games [PDF], Microsoft gaming executive Kevin Gammill wrote that "Apple's discontinuation of Epic's ability to develop and support Unreal Engine for iOS or macOS will harm game creators and gamers." Specifically, Gammill said that games utilizing Unreal Engine will be put at a "substantial disadvantage," citing Microsoft's own racing game Forza Street for iPhone and iPad as an example.

Apple has argued that Epic Games committed "self-inflicted wounds" by intentionally violating its rules, noting that it could have proceeded with its lawsuit without introducing a direct payment option in the Fortnite app. Apple has also said that it would be happy to have Fortnite back on the App Store if Epic Games addresses the violations.

A hearing related to Epic Games' request for a preliminary injunction, which would force Apple to put Fortnite back on the App Store during the legal proceedings, is set for tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time in California court.

Twitter user @DongleBookPro has today shared images of a prototype first-generation Mac mini with a built-in dock for an iPod nano.

The images show a first-generation ‌Mac mini‌ with a 30-pin dock connector cutout on the top for an iPod nano. Otherwise, the computer appears to be virtually identical to the version that came to market in 2005. These types of docks were more commonly seen on speakers at the time, such as Apple's iPod Hi-Fi that was released in 2006.

The 30-pin connector was never directly implemented on computers, with a cable required for syncing. It is therefore intriguing to discover that Apple was seriously considering adding an iPod dock to the Mac, starting with the ‌Mac mini‌ in 2005.

According to the Twitter user who shared these photos, the project was scrapped internally before it saw the "light of day." Given that the size and shape of the iPod nano changed consistently over the years, this ‌Mac mini‌ would have only been compatible with the first and perhaps second generation of the music player.

@DongleBookPro regularly posts images of unreleased Apple devices and prototypes. Earlier this month, they revealed images of an unreleased first-generation iPod touch prototype with a 2013 Mac Pro-style glossy black finish.

Apple has reportedly begun testing an expansion of its more detailed Apple Maps app in the United Kingdom and Ireland, according to Justin O'Beirne, who often shares details on updates made in ‌Apple Maps‌.

Since the Maps revamp in these countries is in testing stages, it is worth pointing out that the changes are not available to all users at the current time.

Apple announced at its virtual WWDC 2020 event that the new Maps app would be coming to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada "later this year," but no clear date was given as to when the rollout would be completed.

The revamped Maps app features richer landscape details such as roads, parking lots, parks, buildings, airports, and more. Apple uses its own vehicles equipped with LiDAR sensors and cameras to obtain mapping data.

Apple worked for over a year to complete the rollout of the new Maps app in the United States, and the process concluded in January with the expansion to the Southeast and Central United States.

Topping the news headlines once again this week was the dispute between Apple and Epic Games, which continued to rage with no signs of de-escalation. The conflict hasn't dampened investors' enthusiasm for Apple's stock, however, as Apple this week became the first U.S. company to reach a market capitalization of $2 trillion.

Other news this week include rumors about future iPad Air and iPad Pro updates, some more changes in the latest beta of iOS 14, and an update to Apple's policies that will give users up to a year to purchase AppleCare+ warranty and accidental damage coverage for a broad array of Apple products in the U.S. and Canada.

Read on below for details on all of these stories and more from the past week!

Epic Games Sought Side Deal for Fortnite Prior to Lawsuit, Apple Says in Court Filing

It was just a week ago that things blew up between Apple and Epic Games, and a lot has happened since then, so we've been regularly updating our timeline of the events leading up to and major developments in the clash between the two companies.

In short, Epic Games strategically violated Apple's and Google's rules for in-app purchases, launching its own payment system for in-game currency in its hit game Fortnite. Apple and Google pulled Fortnite from their app stores, and Epic quickly responded with lawsuits and PR campaigns against the companies, with a major focus on breaking up Apple's firm control over app distribution on iOS and the revenue share it takes.

For its part, Apple has said that it "won't make an exception for Epic" and will terminate Epic's developer accounts if Fortnite isn't brought into compliance with App Store rules by August 28, a move that would affect the numerous developers that rely on Epic's Unreal Engine game engine. Apple is also disputing Epic's claims that it wasn't seeking a special deal with Apple to allow its own in-app purchase mechanism, as a new filing by Apple says that's exactly what Epic wanted.

With Fortnite removed from the App Store, some enterprising eBay sellers have taken to offering iPhones with Fortnite already installed, in some cases asking for thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, Epic is hosting a "#FreeFortnite Cup" this weekend as one last hurrah for cross-platform play before existing Fortnite players on iOS are "left behind" when the next game update drops.

Apple's Market Value Hits $2 Trillion

Just two months after becoming the first U.S. company to reach a market capitalization of $1.5 trillion, Apple has reached another milestone by being the first to hit $2 trillion.

Apple's share price has more than doubled since its low point just five months ago, and the company will be completing a four-for-one stock split at the end of this month. That should bring Apple's share price down to the $100–$125 range, but with four times as many shares in circulation, it will not affect the company's overall market value.

And Apple may not be done yet, as the company's share price has continued to surge toward $500, with one analyst saying a bull-case scenario could drive the stock to $600 (on a pre-split basis) on the strength of an iPhone 12 "supercycle."

What's New in iOS 14 Beta 5: Bigger Apple News Widget, Alarm Clock Wheel, Hidden Photo Album Changes and More

Apple this week seeded a fifth beta version of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 to developers and public beta testers, and the company is continuing to tweak things as an official launch approaches.

There's a new "tall" Apple News widget size option for the Today View, new privacy settings for widgets, a new "wheel" design for setting alarm times in the Clock app, a new option to prevent the Hidden album in Photos from showing up in the album list, and more.

Apple also seeded new betas of macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14 this week.

iPad Air 4 Said to Launch in March 2021 With A14 Processor, iPad Pro Update Possibly Next Month

Apple will launch the iPad Air 4 in March 2021 with an A14 processor, according to sources who also corroborate previous rumors that Apple will bring the ‌iPad‌ Air 4 much closer to the current iPad Pro in terms of design and features.

The ‌iPad‌ Air 4 will reportedly have a Smart Connector on its rear to support the new Magic Keyboard, while it is apparently set to transition from the Lightning Connector to USB-C and feature four stereo speakers.

The report also claims that an updated ‌iPad Pro‌ could arrive as soon as next month, presumably alongside new iPhones at Apple's usual fall event. Rumors have, however, been mixed on when an updated ‌iPad Pro‌ sporting Mini-LED display technology may arrive, with the earliest projections claiming this fall and the latest claiming the first half of 2021.

Five Mac Apps Worth Checking Out - August 2020

Apps designed for the Mac don't often receive as much coverage as apps designed for iPhones and iPads, which is why we have a series here at MacRumors that highlights interesting Mac apps worth checking out.

This month's picks include app organization utilties Panelicious and Tuck, Android device file transfer tool MacDroid, retro summer music playlist app Poolside FM, and text recognition app TextSniper.

Apple Giving Users in U.S. and Canada Up to One Year to Buy AppleCare+

Apple is significantly extending the window in which users in the U.S. and Canada can purchase an AppleCare+ extended warranty with accidental damage coverage. Apple has typically allowed users to purchase AppleCare+ up to 60 days after buying a device, but that window will now be extended to one year, although users will have to visit an Apple retail store to have their devices examined for any damage.

The one-year AppleCare+ purchase window applies to a broad array of Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, iPods, HomePods, AirPods, Apple Watches, and more.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

With every iteration of iOS, Apple adds new privacy features to better protect iPhone and iPad users, and iOS 14 is no exception. This year's update is worth downloading for the privacy protections alone, which include Privacy Reports in Safari, recording indicators, an option to share approximate location with apps instead of precise locations, and more.

In this guide, we've highlighted all of the privacy-focused changes that Apple is introducing in the iOS 14 update.

Recording Indicators

When an app is using either the camera or the microphone, a small dot appears in the status bar just above the WiFi and cellular signal bars. The dot is green when an app is using the camera, and orange when using the microphone.

If you close the app using the camera or microphone and then open the Control Center, there will be a camera or microphone icon along with the name of the app that was recently using the feature. Recording indicators prevent the camera or microphone from being accessed by an app in the background without your knowledge, so you can be sure that apps aren't sneakily recording conversations or videos.

• How to Know When an App is Using Your iPhone Camera or Microphone

Safari

Password Monitoring and Compromised Password Alerts

In iOS 14, the Safari app monitors passwords saved in iCloud Keychain, and lets you know if you have a password that's been compromised in a leak or is too weak so you can change it. The feature provides direct links to websites where you can change your passwords.

For this feature, Safari uses cryptographic techniques to regularly check derivations of your passwords against a list of breached passwords in what Apple promises is a secure and private way. Potential problems can be seen under the "Security Recommendations" heading in the Passwords section of the Settings app.

Privacy Report

A Privacy Report feature in Safari expands on Apple's Intelligent Tracking Prevention functionality that's designed to prevent websites from tracking your internet usage as you browse for ad targeting and analytics.

iOS 14's Privacy Report lists which sites are using trackers, how many trackers are installed on each site, and the most prevalent trackers that you encounter across multiple sites.

Privacy Reports can be accessed by tapping on the "Aa" icon in the URL bar and choosing the "Privacy Report" option. Cross-site tracking prevention needs to be enabled in Settings for Privacy Report to work, but it's on by default so most people shouldn't need to make adjustments.

For more on everything that's new in Safari, including the privacy features included in Safari for iOS 14, make sure to check out our Safari guide.

App Store Privacy Reports

Later this year, the iOS App Store will include a new privacy section on each app page that will provide a summary of the privacy practices of an app before you download it. Apple when introducing the feature at WWDC compared it to a nutritional label for food.

Developers will self-report their privacy practices, letting you know what data is collected and how that data might be used to track you across companies. Apple plans to require developers to implement this feature in a simple, easy-to-read format that's similar to a nutrition label for food.

App Store privacy information won't be available right when iOS 14 launches, but Apple says it will be introduced in an update to the iOS 14 operating system.

App Tracking Controls

Apps that want to use tracking mechanisms that track your behavior across various apps and websites need to get permission from you before doing so in iOS 14.

Apps that use these features will have a popup asking you to enable tracking features, which are used for targeted advertising, data collection, and similar purposes. Most people are not going to want to tap accept on these kinds of requests, and declining tracking prevents an app from accessing a device's advertising identifier.

According to Apple, apps granted permission to track you can collect data that includes device ID, name, email address, and more, which is then combined with data collected by third parties. The combined data is often used for ad targeting or shared with data brokers, linking that data to publicly available and other information about you and your device.

You can turn off cross-app and cross-site tracking for apps entirely by opening up the Settings app, navigating to the Privacy section, and tapping "Tracking." From there, turn off "Allow Apps to Request to Track."

Developers are responsible for ensuring they comply with user choice, and there are some situations where a developer is not required by Apple to ask for user permission, such as when information is combined on device and not sent off in a way that is personally identifiable or when used for fraud detection or prevention.

• iOS 14: How to Prevent Apps From Tracking You Across Sites and Apps

Approximate Location

There are some apps that require your location to properly function, and in iOS 14, Apple has introduced a new feature that lets you share your location data in a more secure and less targeted way.

For apps that require location access, you can choose to share an Approximate Location, which is close to your location but not precisely spot on, making it harder for apps to keep track of where you're going and better protecting your location privacy.

Apps that ask for location access will pop up the Approximate Location option, but you can also get to these settings for each location using app by opening up Settings, going to the Privacy section, tapping on Location Services, and then tapping on each app that has requested location permission.

Toggle off "Precise Location" for any app that you want to use an approximate location instead. This is useful for weather apps, browsers, mapping apps, and more.

Widgets

Widgets in iOS 14 must receive user approval to access location data just like apps. Under Location Services in the Privacy section of the Settings app, there are also options to allow or disallow location access while a widget is in use.

You can choose to allow both the app and its accompanying widget to access your location, or just an app. When given permission and in use, a widget can access location data for 15 minutes.

Widget location is subject to the approximate or precise location settings that are enabled for each app.

Clipboard Access

Whenever an app accesses the clipboard in iOS 14, Apple notifies you with a small banner that lets you know the clipboard was copied. There are plenty of legitimate reasons for an app to use the clipboard, such as when you're copying and pasting something from another app or through the Continuity based copy paste feature on another machine, but apps had also been abusing their clipboard access.

Apps like TikTok, Twitter, Zillow, and tons of other apps were reading the clipboard without user knowledge or permission in situations where clipboard access was not warranted. Many of these apps said that these were security features or bugs, and the warning banner from Apple has resulted in many apps making sure their clipboard access is above board.

Apps are not able to read the clipboard without you knowing about it, so you can be sure the contents of your clipboard are safe from unwarranted access.

Network Access

Apps that want to access devices on your local network need to ask permission in iOS 14, and there are some apps that ask that have no business accessing your local network, such as Facebook.

Some apps have a valid reason for accessing devices on your local network, such as those that control Bluetooth or WiFi-based devices, and you can tap to allow or disallow access. Local Network settings can also be controlled under Local Network in the Privacy section of the Settings app.

• iOS 14: How to Prevent Network Operators From Tracking Your iPhone or iPad Across Wi-Fi Networks

WiFi Tracking

When you're connected to a WiFi network, there's an option to "Use Private Address" to prevent network operators from tracking your phone across different WiFi networks.

You can find this option by opening up the Settings app, tapping the WiFi section, and tapping on one of the listed networks. Apple provides a warning when connecting to a Wi-Fi network that doesn't use the Private Address feature.

Limited Photos Library Access

For apps that ask permission to access your photos, you can now choose to give access to your entire photo library or just a few photos at a time, which is useful if you don't want social networks like Facebook or Instagram seeing your entire camera roll.

If you use the limited photos option, you can continually change the photos that are shared, selecting just a couple at a time that you want to upload or edit, depending on the app. It adds another step to workflows involving photos, but it keeps your full library safe and inaccessible.

You'll be asked about limited photos access whenever an app wants permission to use photos, and you can control which apps have access to all of your photos, limited photos, or no photos in the Privacy section of the Settings app under "Photos."

• iOS 14: How to Limit How Much Access Third-Party Apps Have to Your Photo Library on iPhone and iPad

New Sign in with Apple Features

New Sign in with Apple tools for developers will make it easier for them to enable functionality for transferring existing web accounts to Sign in with Apple, which could make new options available to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users who want to convert their logins to the more secure Sign in with Apple feature.

On-Device Dictation

Dictation is designed to improve over time so for accuracy and to customize to each person's usage needs. With on-device dictation, all processing is done offline, but dictation used in search still uses server-based dictation.

Contacts Autofill

Rather than sharing Contacts with third-party apps, Apple has added an autofill feature. When you go to type someone's name, it will fill in their phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, and other info that's stored in the contacts app. Autofill is done on device and prevents contact info from being shared with third-party developers.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about the privacy features in iOS 14, know of a feature we left out, or or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here. If you want to know more about what's coming in iOS 14, make sure to check out our iOS 14 roundup.