There was a serious AirDrop bug in iOS 13.2.3 that let attackers overwhelm nearby iPhones with files, causing them to lock up, reports TechCrunch. Apple addressed the bug in the iOS 13.3 update, and the details of how it works are now public.
AirDrop is designed to allow users to share files with one another, and depending on settings, it can be restricted to contacts, no one, or any nearby iPhone. Kishan Bagaria discovered the AirDrop bug in iOS 13.2.3, finding that he could lock up nearby iPhones that were able to accept files by flooding them with multiple files in a row.
When receiving an AirDrop file, an iPhone or iPad blocks the display until the incoming request is accepted or rejected. iOS did not limit the number of requests that a device can accept, so with repeated message requests, an attacker was able to send files over and over again to cause the iOS device to get stuck in a loop.
Devices with AirDrop set to "Everyone" were primarily vulnerable to the attack, which is not the default AirDrop setting. AirDrop is limited to Contacts, and the "Everyone" setting must be manually enabled.
As of now, though, the bug no longer works and Apple has limited the number of AirDrop messages that can be sent to an iOS device in quick succession. Given that this wasn't a traditional security vulnerability, Apple will not provide a common vulnerability and CVE score, but has instead acknowledged it in a separate section of the security support document.
Expercom has revealed a few notable discounts on Apple's new Mac Pro, which just launched earlier today. The retailer is taking up to $2,500 off custom built configurations, and $430 off the base Tower model of the Mac Pro.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Expercom. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This means you can get the 2019 Mac Pro for $5,569.00, down from Apple's current $5,999.00 price tag for the base model. Expercom's shipping does take longer than Apple's, however, and you'll have to wait as long as three to four weeks for the Mac Pro to arrive. Check out some of the models on sale below.
The retailer even has a high-end Mac Pro at $49,616.00, down from $50,046. Apple is offering a deal where Apple Card users can get 6% Daily Cash back on Apple purchases made through December 31, but Expercom's deals are definitely solid for anyone without an Apple Card.
Ahead of the release of the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, Apple gave several of the machines to prominent tech YouTubers to test out, and their first impressions, overviews, and unboxings of the Mac Pro are now available.
MKBHD, iJustine, and Jonathan Morrison were each able to spend a couple of weeks with the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, using the setup for video editing workflows. YouTubers were provided with higher-end machines featuring the 28-core Intel Xeon W processors, 384GB RAM, 4TB SSD, an Afterburner Card, and two AMD Radeon Pro Vega II GPUs.
MKBHD had a few interesting Mac Pro tidbits to share, including details on the inclusion of a new memory management interface that shows an overview of memory management with how the memory is arranged, along with an overview of PCI slots.
He said that he has two main takeaways after using the Mac Pro for a few weeks: "It's really quiet and it's really fast." In a rendering test, the Mac Pro did in four minutes what it took the 16-inch MacBook Pro 20 minutes to do and the iMac Pro 12 minutes to do.
iJustine focused on the new accessories that come with the Mac Pro, including a black Magic Mouse, a black Magic Trackpad, and a black and silver Magic Keyboard.
iJustine also provided an interesting visual comparison between the old Mac Pro tower and the new Mac Pro machine, which have quite a few design similarities.
Morrison said that the Pro Display XDR with its nano coating technology is a "game changer," though you need to see the display in person to really appreciate it. He too highlighted the Mac Pro's quiet operation, saying that it was near silent even with "every core lit up."
The Mac Pro is "far beyond what most of us need" according to Morrison.
Additional hands on experiences, benchmarks, and reviews should be forthcoming now that the Mac Pro is available to order. The first machines purchased today will be arriving to customers starting next week.
Executives from Apple and Facebook were grilled over their encryption policies in a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, with senators threatening encryption regulation.
According to Reuters, senators told Apple and Facebook that the two companies need to find a way to make encrypted data available to law enforcement for investigations.
"You're going to find a way to do this or we're going to go do it for you," said Senator Lindsey Graham. "We're not going to live in a world where a bunch of child abusers have a safe haven to practice their craft. Period. End of discussion."
Facebook earlier this year said that it would extend end-to-end encryption across all of its messaging services and has since faced blowback from U.S., UK, and Australian government officials who have requested backdoor access.
Apple faced a major encryption battle with the United States government in 2016 when it refused to provide the government with the tools to unlock the iPhone owned by the San Bernadino shooter.
Apple at the time argued that adding backdoor access to the iPhone would weaken it for everyone and that criminals would quickly gain access to any backdoor tools that Apple established.
Facebook privacy chief Jay Sullivan was at the hearing with Apple privacy chief Erik Neuenschwander, and even amid scrutiny from regulators, the two companies were still at each other's throats, with Neuenschwander and Sullivan each suggesting lawmakers focus scrutiny on the other company's business.
Sullivan pointed out that Facebook does not build devices or operating systems, while Neuenschwander said that Apple doesn't have "forums for strangers to contact each other" and doesn't see Apple "scanning material of our users to build profiles of them."
Apple has been staunchly against creating backdoors for government access and has warned of the dangers of weakening encryption. Apple does cooperate with law enforcement by providing relevant iCloud data in law enforcement investigations when requested.
Note: Due to the political 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 updated its holiday shipping policies to ensure that people are able to order and receive gifts ahead of when Christmas, Hanukkah, and other celebrations begin, with the company now offering faster free shipping options.
For in-stock Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch orders, Apple is offering free same-day courier delivery in cities where courier delivery is available. Other products will cost $9 for courier delivery, which is Apple's standard courier pricing.
For orders where courier delivery is not available and for items that don't qualify for free courier delivery, Apple is offering free next-day delivery on any in-stock item ordered by 3:00 p.m. on December 23. That deadline means that any item ordered by that time will arrive before Christmas on December 25.
Apple is also offering holiday returns right now, which means anything purchased between November 15, 2019 and December 25, 2019 can be returned until January 8, 2020.
Apple today released the Mac Pro, its high-end modular desktop machine designed for professional users. While the base Mac Pro machine is priced starting at $5,999, there are many other upgrade options available.
Right now, the Mac Pro maxes out at 4TB of SSD storage space, but in the future, Apple plans to expand that to 8TB. On the specs page, Apple says that an 8TB SSD storage option is "coming soon."
Pricing is not available on the component, but given that the 4TB option costs an additional $1,400, it's likely to be expensive. Apple first introduced 8TB SSD storage options in the MacBook Pro, and in that machine, the upgrade costs $2,200 over the base 1TB storage option.
Apple also currently provides Radeon Pro 580X, Radeon Pro Vega II, and Radeon Pro Vega II Duo graphics cards, but in the near future, Apple will also offer both a single or double Radeon Pro W5700X GPU with 16GB GDDR6 memory.
There is no word yet on pricing, and no clear information on when we can expect the new upgrade options to be available. Those who want the specific GPU or the 8TB of storage should wait to order.
Mac Pro models ordered today will ship out between December 19 and December 27.
The new Mac Pro accessories include Apple's Afterburner card, AMD's Radeon Pro Vega II MPX and Vega II Duo MPX graphics modules, Promise's custom Pegasus R4i and Pegasus J2i storage modules, Belkin's lock adapter for use with a third-party lock or cable, Belkin's AUX power cable kit, and up to 256GB DDR4 ECC memory kits.
Designed specifically for the Pro Display XDR, the Pro Magnetic Webcam features 4K Ultra HD resolution video with advanced HDR. "RightLight 3" technology automatically adjusts the video based on both poor lighting and direct sunlight. A secure magnetic mount attaches the webcam to the display.
Many of the accessories ship within the next week, but some are not yet available.
Silver-and-Black Magic Accessories Limited to New Mac Pro
The new Mac Pro comes with a new silver-and-black Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad and a black Magic Mouse, with an optional silver-and-black Magic Trackpad available as well. These accessories are currently limited to the new Mac Pro and have not been made available to purchase separately.
Alongside iOS and iPadOS 13.3, Apple has released new 13.3 software for the HomePod, with some bug fixes and performance improvements that build upon HomePod features introduced in earlier iOS 13 software releases.
Today's update improves the ability of HomePod to recognize the voice profile of family members, it allows individual family members to enable or disable personal requests, and it fixes an issue that could prevent music playback from resuming on a stereo pair following a call.
The new HomePod software will be installed automatically on the HomePod, but you can also manually update and check your software version by following the instructions in our HomePod software how to.
Given the prices of both the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR, adding AppleCare coverage seems well worth it.
The $299 price point for AppleCare+ for the Mac Pro is the same regardless of whether the Mac Pro costs $6,000 or upwards of $52,000 with upgrade options.
AppleCare+ for Mac Pro and for Pro Display XDR extends coverage to three years from the date of purchase, and adds coverage for two incidents of accidental damage. There's a $99 deductible for enclosure damage or screen damage and a $299 deductible for other damage.
24/7 access to Apple's support staff by chat or phone is also included, as are onsite repair options, mail-in repairs, carry-in repairs, and global repair coverage.
AppleCare+ for Mac Pro is the same as the AppleCare+ plan that Apple offers for all of its Mac products. It covers the Mac Pro and its accessories.
AppleCare+ for Displays covers the Pro Display XDR, the power cord, one Apple-branded display stand, and one Apple-branded mount purchased at the same time.
The AppleCare+ protection policies for Apple's new hardware can be purchased when checking out. For the Mac Pro, Apple says AppleCare+ can be added within 60 days of a purchase, but there is no similar wording on the AppleCare+ for Display pages.
Apple today released macOS Catalina 10.15.2, the second update to the macOS Catalina operating system that was originally released in October. macOS Catalina 10.15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Catalina 10.15.1.
macOS Catalina can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for free using the Update feature in the System Preferences app, and it is available to anyone who has a compatible Mac.
There were no major new features found in macOS Catalina 10.15.2 during the beta testing period, but according to Apple's release notes, the update includes a new layout for Apple News+ new stories, introduces Stocks improvements, includes Music bug fixes, adds support for using an iPhone to remotely control the Music and TV apps on a Mac, includes Photos and Mail bug fixes, and more.
The macOS Catalina 10.15.2 update improves the stability, reliability and performance of your Mac and is recommended for all users. This update adds the following features:
Apple News - New layout for Apple News+ stories from The Wall Street Journal and other leading newspapers
Stocks - Get links to related stories or more stories from the same publication at the end of an article - “Breaking” and “Developing” labels for Top Stories - Stories from Apple News are now available in Canada in English and French - This update also includes the following bug fixes and improvements:
Music - Restores the column browser view for managing the music library - Resolves an issue that may prevent album artwork from appearing - Fixes an issue that may reset music equalizer settings during playback
iTunes Remote - Adds support for using an iPhone or iPad to remotely control the Music and TV apps on a Mac
Photos - Resolves an issue that may cause some .AVI and .MP4 files to appear as unsupported - Fixes an issue that prevents newly created folders from appearing in Albums view - Addresses an issue where manually sorted images in an album may be printed or exported out of order - Fixes an issue that prevents the zoom-to-crop tool from working in a print preview
Mail - Addresses an issue that may cause Mail Preferences to open with a blank window - Resolves an issue that may prevent using undo from retrieving deleted mail
Other - Improves the reliability of syncing books and audiobooks to your iPad or iPhone through Finder - Fixes an issue where reminders may be out of order in the Today smart list in the Reminders app - Resolves an issue that may cause slow typing performance in the Notes app
Apple today released watchOS 6.1.1, the third update to the watchOS 6 operating system that's designed to run on modern Apple Watch models. watchOS 6.1.1 comes over a month after the launch of watchOS 6.1.
watchOS 6.1.1 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.
To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone. Apple has also released a watchOS 5.3.4 update for those who have Apple Watch models not able to be upgraded to watchOS 6.
We didn't find any significant changes during the watchOS 6.1.1 beta testing period, and Apple doesn't have specific release notes available. The update "provides important security updates and is recommended for all users."
For more detail on the features included in the overall watchOS 6 software release, make sure to check out our watchOS 6 roundup.
Apple's new Mac Pro is now available to order, with the base model priced at $5,999 in the United States. If you would prefer wheels on the computer to roll it around, though, that will cost you an extra $400.
"Customize your Mac Pro to have a stainless steel frame with wheels, which is ideal for moving your Mac Pro quickly and easily without having to lift it," says Apple. "Configuring your Mac Pro with wheels makes it about an inch taller than the frame with feet."
Apple has updated the pricing for the Mac Pro to include the optional $2,000 Afterburner card and $400 wheels. Yes, the wheels are $400. Top price is now $52,599. https://t.co/XJH27segBG
— Jeremy Horwitz (@horwitz) December 10, 2019
The new Mac Pro is the fastest Mac ever, with up to 28-core Intel Xeon processors, up to 1.5TB of ECC RAM, up to 8TB of SSD storage, and up to AMD Radeon Pro Vega II Duo graphics with 64GB of HBM2 memory. The computer also has eight PCIe expansion slots for maximum performance, expansion, and configurability.
With maxed out tech specs and all available accessories selected, including the $400 wheels, the new Mac Pro costs over $52,000 in the United States.
Apple today released tvOS 13.3, the second major update to the tvOS 13 operating system that runs on the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 13.3 comes over a month after the launch of the tvOS 13.2 update.
tvOS 13.3, which is a free update, can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System -> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 13.3 automatically.
tvOS 13.3 adds a useful new setting that's designed to let you change the main banner interface in the Apple TV app from What to Watch to Up Next, which displays content from shows that you're already watching rather than show suggestions.
The option can be accessed by going to the Settings app, choosing Apps, and selecting the TV app. From there, select Home Screen and choose "Up Next" in the "Top Shelf" section.
We didn't find any additional new features in tvOS 13.3 during the beta testing period, making it unclear what else might be included, but it likely focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements.
Apple today released iOS 13.3, the third major update to the iOS and iPadOS 13 operating systems. The new software updates come two weeks after the release of iOS/iPadOS 13.2.3 and more than a month after the launch of iOS 13.2, which brought new emoji.
The iOS and iPadOS 13.3 updates are available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released an iOS 12.4.4 update for older devices that aren't able to run iOS 13.
iOS 13.3 continues to add features that were originally promised for iOS 13 but were ultimately eliminated during the beta testing process, with the update introducing Communication Limits for Screen Time.
Communication Limits let parents control who their children are able to contact, with the feature covering FaceTime, Phone, Messages, and iCloud Contacts.
Calls to emergency numbers are always allowed and when placed, will turn off communication limits for 24 hours to make sure children are safe and not restricted from communicating with people in the event of an emergency.
The iOS 13.3 and iPadOS 13.3 updates bring support for NFC, USB, and Lightning FIDO2-compliant security keys in Safari. That means physical security keys like the Lightning-equipped YubiKey can be used for more secure two-factor authentication in place of a software-based two-factor authentication option.
In the Keyboards section of the Settings app (under General), there's a new toggle that prevents Animoji and Memoji stickers from being displayed as an option on the Emoji Keyboard for those who prefer not to see Animoji and Memoji sticker options.
When editing a video, there's a new feature that lets you save the edited version as a new clip rather than replacing the original, and Apple has also tweaked the Apple Watch app icon, changing the color of the Digital Crown from black to gray.
Apple's full release notes for the iOS 13.3 update are below:
iOS 13.3 includes improvements, bug fixes and additional parental controls for Screen Time.
Screen Time - New parental controls provide more communication limits over who their children can call, FaceTime, or Message - Contact list for children lets parents manage the contacts that appear on their children’s devices
Apple News - New layout for Apple News+ stories from The Wall Street Journal and other leading newspapers - Easily like or dislike stories with a tap
Stocks - Stories from Apple News are now available in Canada in English and French - Continue reading with links to related stories or more stories from the same publication - “Breaking” and “Developing” labels for Top Stories
This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. This update: - Enables the creation of a new video clip when trimming a video in Photos - Adds support for NFC, USB, and Lightning FIDO2-compliant security keys in Safari - Fixes issues in Mail that may prevent downloading new messages - Addresses an issue that prevented deleting messages in Gmail accounts - Resolves issues that could cause incorrect characters to display in messages and duplication of sent messages in Exchange accounts - Fixes an issue where the cursor may not move after long pressing on the space bar - Addresses an issue that may cause screenshots to appear blurry when sent via Messages - Resolves an issue where cropping or using Markup on screenshots may not save to Photos - Fixes an issue where Voice Memos recordings may not be able to be shared with other audio apps - Addresses an issue where the missed call badge on the Phone app may not clear - Resolves an issue where the Cellular Data setting may incorrectly show as off - Fixes an issue that prevented turning off Dark Mode when Smart Invert was enabled - Addresses an issue where some wireless chargers may charge more slowly than expected
For more on the new features that Apple added to iOS with the launch of iOS 13, make sure to check out our iOS 13 roundup.
With Mac Pro orders now live, pricing for all of the build to order options for the machine are available, giving us an idea of what it's going to cost to get the top of the line upgrades.
Apple lets Mac Pro buyers upgrade the processor, RAM, GPU, and SSD, as well as add an Apple Afterburner card, wheels, and accessories, all of which add to the cost.
Starting with the base Mac Pro with a 3.5GHz Xeon W processor, 32GB RAM, a Radeon Pro 580X with 8GB memory, and 256GB SSD, choosing all available internal hardware upgrades will net you a price of $52,199.
Add to that the $400 wheels, and the price goes up to $52,599. From there, if you tack on the Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 combo, you can get a maximum price of $52,748.
If you want a maxed out rack mounted Mac Pro, expect to pay an additional $500 when that option becomes available, for a total price of $52,848.
If you want to add a Pro Display XDR to your Mac Pro, expect to pay $4,999 for the display itself, plus an additional $999 for the stand. Add on an extra $1,000 if you want Apple's special nano-texture glass, for a total display price of $6,998. You can, however, save some cash if you go with a VESA mount, which is priced at just $200.
That means a maxed out Mac Pro with Apple's top of the line specs (minus the rack mount, since that's a niche option) and the best Pro Display XDR will cost just shy of $60,000 at $59,748.
Apple's new Mac Pro is now available to order, but the rack-mounted version of the computer remains listed as "coming soon" on Apple's online store, with pricing set to start at $6,499 in the United States.
The rack-mounted Mac Pro has repositioned handles and carries a $500 premium compared to the regular new Mac Pro tower, which starts at $5,999. As the description implies, this version of the Mac Pro is designed for rack deployment in edit bays, machine rooms, and other professional settings.
In a press release, Apple previously said the rack-mounted Mac Pro would be available this fall, which ends December 21. However, given the ambiguity of "coming soon," it is unknown if Apple will still meet that timeframe.
Apple's new Mac Pro became available for purchase today, giving us our first look at all of the available upgrade options and pricing tiers.
The entry-level Mac Pro with an 8-core Xeon processor is priced at $5,999, but the GPU, processor, RAM, and storage space can all be upgraded for additional money.
Below, we've listed the available upgrade options from the base machine, which is equipped with a 3.5GHz 8-core Intel Xeon W processor, 32GB RAM, Radeon Pro 580X, 256GB SSD, no Apple Afterburner, and no wheeled frame.
Processor Options
3.3GHz 12‑core Intel Xeon W, Turbo Boost up to 4.4GHz - +$1,000
3.2GHz 16‑core Intel Xeon W, Turbo Boost up to 4.4GHz - +$2,000
2.7GHz 24‑core Intel Xeon W, Turbo Boost up to 4.4GHz - +$6,000
2.5GHz 28‑core Intel Xeon W, Turbo Boost up to 4.4GHz - +$7,000
RAM Options
48GB (6x8GB) of DDR4 ECC memory - +$300
96GB (6x16GB) of DDR4 ECC memory - +$1,000
192GB (6x32GB) of DDR4 ECC memory - +$3,000
384GB (6x64GB) of DDR4 ECC memory - +$6,000
768GB (6x128GB) of DDR4 ECC memory - $14,000
768GB (12x64GB) of DDR4 ECC memory - $10,000
1.5TB (12x128GB) of DDR4 ECC memory - +$25,000
GPU Options
Radeon Pro Vega II with 32GB of HBM2 memory - +$2,400
Two Radeon Pro Vega II with 32GB of HBM2 memory each - +$5,200
Radeon Pro Vega II Duo with 2x32GB of HBM2 memory - +$5,200
Two Radeon Pro Vega II Duo with 2x32GB of HBM2 memory each - +$10,800
Apple will soon add a Radeon Pro W5700X with 16GB GDDR6 memory and an option for two Radeon Pro W5700X.
Storage Options
1TB SSD storage - +$400
2TB SSD storage - +$800
4TB SSD storage - +$1,400
Apple will soon add an additional 8TB SSD storage option, but it is not available at this time.
Apple Afterburner
Adding an Apple Afterburner card to the Mac Pro will cost an additional $2,000. The Apple Afterburner is a PCIe accelerator card that offloads the decoding of ProRes and ProRes RAW video codecs in apps like Final Cut Pro X.
Other Upgrade Options
Adding a stainless steel frame with wheels to the Mac Pro will cost $400, as a frame with feet is the standard option.
The Mac Pro comes with a Magic Mouse 2, but can be upgraded to a Magic Trackpad 2 for an additional $50. Mac Pro buyers can get both the mouse and the trackpad for $149.
A rack mount option for the Mac Pro will cost an additional $500, starting at $6,499, and is not yet available with Apple labeling it "Coming soon."
How to Buy
The Mac Pro is available for purchase starting today, and orders placed now will begin delivering between December 19 and December 27. A machine with all possible upgrades will cost upwards of $50,000, close to 10 times the base cost of the Mac Pro.
More than two years after Apple promised a new modular high-end desktop machine for its professional users, the new Mac Pro is now available for purchase, as is its companion display, the Pro Display XDR.
Apple is accepting orders for the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR, with Mac Pro delivery estimates at one to two weeks after an order is placed.
First unveiled in June, the 2019 Mac Pro is the first new Mac Pro that Apple has released since the 2013 "trash can" Mac Pro that ultimately failed due to its focus on dual GPUs and thermal limitations.
The updated Mac Pro is a high-end high-throughput machine designed for professional users, and this new model has a heavy focus on upgradeability and expansion. The Mac Pro has a traditional PC shape, but with an Apple-esque stainless steel frame that features a lattice design to maximize airflow and allow for quiet performance.
Priced starting at $5,999, the Mac Pro is equipped with workstation-class Xeon processors with up to 28 cores with 64 PCI Express lanes, up to 1.5TB RAM, eight PCIe expansion slots, and an option for dual Radeon Pro Vega II Duo GPUs housed in two Apple MPX modules.
The Mac Pro supports up to 4TB of SSD storage, has multiple ports, features Apple's T2 security chip, and is equipped with an Apple-designed ProRes and ProRes RAW accelerator card called the Apple Afterburner.
Apple is selling the Mac Pro alongside the Apple Pro Display XDR, a 6K 32-inch display with a resolution of 6016 x 3384. The Pro Display XDR shares design elements with the Mac Pro, featuring a lattice pattern that doubles as a thermal system and edge-to-edge glass with a 9mm border.
Apple is selling the Pro Display XDR for $4,999, with a stand for the display priced at $999.
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