MacRumors

A Chinese man on Wednesday pleaded guilty in Oregon to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods, after he managed to trick Apple into replacing hundreds of fake iPhones with authentic handsets through its warranty program (via Bloomberg).

Quan Jiang, 30, a former engineering student at a community college in Albany, Oregon, sent around 3,000 counterfeit devices to Apple, via one of the state's three Apple stores or online. Jiang used fake names and claimed the iPhones wouldn't turn on and should be replaced under warranty.

Apple replaced almost 1,500 of the fake handsets with authentic iPhones, each with an approximate resale value of $600 on the Chinese market, where counterfeit Apple products are a big problem.

Apple only realized something was afoot as early as June 30, 2017, when its legal counsel sent Jiang a "cease and desist" letter to an address in Corvallis where 150 of the warranty claims had originated.

Apple's lawyers said that's when the company knew he was importing counterfeit Apple products, according to comments made by Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Thomas Duffy in a court document.

"Submission of an iPhone that will not power on is critical to perpetuating iPhone warranty fraud, as the phone will not be able to be immediately examined or repaired by Apple technicians, triggering the Apple iPhone replacement process as part of its product warranty policy," Duffy wrote, quoting Apple brand protection representative Adrian Punderson.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon, between January 2016 and February 2018, Jiang was the recipient of multiple packages containing as many as 20 to 30 inoperable, counterfeit iPhones from partners in Hong Kong.

After delivering the genuine replacements, Jiang's associate would pay Jiang's mother, who lives in China, who would then deposit the money into Jiang's bank account.

Apple is said to have rejected 1,576 warranty claims associated with Jiang, but the 1,493 claims that resulted in replacement iPhones being delivered by Apple represented an $895,000 loss to the company, according to court documents.

Jiang will be sentenced on August 28 and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $2 million fine or twice his proceeds, whichever is greater. Bloomberg reports that the U.S. Attorney's office will recommend a prison sentence of three years and at least $200,000 in restitution to Apple, under a plea agreement, provided Jiang also forfeits his 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 coupe.

Apple has registered eleven unreleased iPhone models in the Eurasian Economic Commission database this week, including models A2111, A2160, A2161, A2215, A2216, A2217, A2218, A2219, A2220, A2221, and A2223, according to the Indian blog MySmartPrice.

The filings are legally required for any encrypted devices sold in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

These models likely represent Apple's refreshed ‌iPhone‌ line-up expected to debut in September 2019. Rumors suggest the successors of the ‌iPhone‌ XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, and ‌iPhone‌ XR will again be 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones along with a 6.1-inch LCD ‌iPhone‌, respectively.

Rumors suggest the 5.8 and 6.5-inch ‌iPhone‌ XS and XS Max successors will feature triple-lens cameras while the LCD ‌iPhone‌ will use a dual-lens camera setup.

Otherwise, the 2019 ‌iPhone‌ lineup is expected to look similar to the Apple's current smartphones, but Apple may be planning to use a new frosted glass design for the back of the 5.8 and 6.5-inch devices. The 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌, meanwhile, could come in new lavender and green shades.

We don't yet know what Apple will call the new iPhones, but ‌iPhone‌ XI or ‌iPhone‌ 11 are possibilities for the ‌iPhone‌ XS successors.

The EEC filings reveal all the new devices that have been added to the database run on iOS 12, although iOS 13 is likely to be available this fall as a free software update. Apple is expected to unveil all the new features coming with its updated mobile OS at WWDC in June.

Eurasian Economic Commission filings like these have foreshadowed the release of new Apple products on numerous occasions, including multiple iPad models, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple Watch Series 2 and Series 4, AirPods, the 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, and several other devices.

Apple this week began stocking a new 4K 23.7-inch LG UltraFine Display, which replaces the original 21.5-inch 4K LG UltraFine Display that was pulled from retail stores and the online Apple Store earlier this year.

We picked up one of the new 23.7-inch UltraFine Displays and thought we'd check it out to see if it's worth the $700 price point.

It's larger than the original 4K UltraFine display as it measures in at 23.7 inches instead of 21.5 inches, but it features a 3840 x 2160 resolution rather than a 4096 x 2304 resolution like the first model. That's still considered Ultra HD, though, and qualifies as 4K.

Though this display has a 4K resolution, it's not meant to be used at the full 3840 x 1260 resolution given its 23.7-inch display size because everything on the display would be super small. Instead, it's meant to provide retina clarity when downscaled to a more reasonable resolution like 1920 x 1080 or 2560 x 1440, which is what we have it set to.

Along with the larger display size, the new UltraFine Display features two Thunderbolt 3 ports instead of a single Thunderbolt 3 port, which means you can daisy chain two of these monitors together. We didn't have a second on hand, but used daisy chaining with a different 4K LG display, which worked well.

You can also connect other Thunderbolt 3-enabled accessories directly to the display if preferred, and there are also three additional USB-C ports. Both a Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C cable are included. There's no webcam, but there are built-in stereo speakers available, much like the prior version of the LG UltraFine displays available from Apple.

The display is crisp and vivid, rivaling the Retina display on Apple's Macs, and we liked the high gloss finish despite the fact that it tends to add more glare. With 500 nits brightness, it's fairly bright, and because it has P3 wide color support, all the colors are rich and true to life.

All in all, we came away with a positive impression of this display. Since you can daisy chain two of them together, it might be nice to have two of them if you can given the smaller size and the $700 price point, which is half of the price of the 5K UltraFine display.

With the 4K LG UltraFine Display having been replaced, Apple may also have a replacement for the 5K UltraFine monitor on the horizon. The 5K monitor is sold out on Apple's site right now, though the listing for it hasn't been removed entirely.

Apple is also planning to get back into displays with rumors suggesting a 31.6-inch 6K display is in the works and set to be released alongside a new Mac Pro that's coming this year. Unfortunately, Apple's 6K display is rumored to be super pricey, so it may be out of range for a lot of Mac users who will instead need to rely on other options like the UltraFine displays from LG.

Ahead of the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off on Monday, June 3 with a keynote event, Apple has updated its official WWDC app for iOS devices.

There have been no design changes to the app aside from a new neon icon that better matches the darker theme of the 2019 conference, but according to Apple's release notes, the update adds a new profile area for managing notifications, virtual queuing for labs, and app icon selection. App icon selection means you can change the color of the Apple logo on the icon in the Settings section of the app.

You'll also see new WWDC-themed iMessage stickers in the Messages app following the update.

The new update introduces placeholder titles for upcoming sessions and labs, with official names hidden because many of these sessions are based on features that have not yet been announced.

For developers who are on-site and attending WWDC, the app offers up on-site tools like maps and start times for labs, sessions, and events. For those unable to attend, it will include live video streams of the keynote, labs, and sessions.

Apple is also offering a tvOS app for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV so developers can also watch WWDC sessions on their television sets.

The Worldwide Developers Conference starts on June 3 with a keynote that will take place at 10:00 a.m. Apple will live stream the keynote on both its website and on the ‌Apple TV‌, and MacRumors will also provide live coverage on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

Apple's WWDC app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Apple today quietly released an updated version of macOS Mojave 10.14.5, which is designed for 15-inch MacBook Pro models that feature a T2 security chip, aka the 2018 and 2019 machines.

The new version of the software can be downloaded through the "Software Update" section of System Preferences on all compatible Macs.

According to Apple's release notes, the new software addresses a "firmware issue" impacting Macs with a T2 chip. Apple provided no additional detail, so we don't know what the specific firmware issue might be, but we may get more information when the security notes become available.

The MacBook Pro Supplemental Update addresses a firmware issue affecting 15-inch MacBook Pro computers with T2 Security Chip, and is recommended for all users.

For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

Apple released the macOS Mojave 10.14.5 update on May 13, adding AirPlay 2 support for sharing music, photos, videos, and more from the Mac to ‌AirPlay‌ 2-enabled smart TVs from companies like Samsung, Vizio, LG, and Sony.

Minor Apple News+ interface changes were included, allowing users to follow a magazine directly from the catalog browsing view, and there were improvements to audio latency on 2018 machines.

Apple today sent out media invites for the keynote event of its 30th annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which takes place at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California.

The WWDC keynote will provide a first look at new software that Apple is debuting in 2019, including iOS 13, macOS 10.15, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13.

There are some major changes coming in the new software that's set to be announced, including dark mode for iOS, a new volume HUD, updates to several apps, and more, all of which is highlighted in our iOS 13 roundup.

watchOS 6 will bring a dedicated App Store for the Apple Watch, new watch faces, new health-related apps and more, while macOS 10.15 will further Apple's "Marzipan" cross-platform app project, split up iTunes, and bring software for using an iPad as a second display among other features.

Apple in March announced that this year's WWDC event is once again set to be held at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, the third year that it's taken place outside of San Francisco.

WWDC tickets, which were priced at $1,599, were distributed to developers by random selection back in March. Apple also provided 350 scholarships to students and STEM organization members, which include a free ticket to WWDC as well as free lodging at San Jose State University.

Approximately 5,000 developers attend the Worldwide Developers Conference to interface with hundreds of Apple engineers who are available to answer questions and host development sessions. Developers who are not able to attend the event will be able to watch the sessions through Apple's WWDC 2019 website or the WWDC app for iPhone, ‌iPad‌, and Apple TV.

The UK's competition watchdog today announced that Apple has formally agreed to be "clearer and more upfront with iPhone users" about battery health and performance to ensure compliance with consumer law, as the BBC reports.

In a pledge submitted to the Competition and Markets Authority or CMA, Apple committed to several actions it has already taken, including providing consumers with "clear and comprehensible information" about lithium-ion batteries, unexpected shutdowns, and performance management in iOS and on its website.

Apple added that if a future iOS update materially changes the impact of performance management when installed on an ‌iPhone‌, it will notify consumers "in a clear manner" of those changes in the release notes for the update.

The CMA raised concerns with Apple last year after the iPhone slowdown controversy of late 2017, when it was discovered that Apple introduced a performance management system in iOS 10.2.1 that could slow down iPhones with aging batteries, while only mentioning bug fixes and improvements in the release notes.

Apple eventually apologized over its lack of communication and took several steps to address the situation, including introducing an option to disable the performance management, temporarily lowering the price of iPhone replacement batteries, and adding a new Battery Health menu in iOS 11.3.

The CMA acknowledges that, since it raised its concerns, Apple has "already started to be more up front with ‌iPhone‌ users," but notes that today's announcement "locks the firm into formal commitments." In the event Apple were to breach any of the commitments made, the CMA may take action through the courts.

The FTC today won its antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm over the chipmaker's anticompetitive business practices.

As first reported by legal expert Florian Mueller on his blog FOSS Patents, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh has ruled that Qualcomm's so-called "no license, no chips" model, under which the chipmaker has refused to provide chips to companies without a patent license, violates federal antitrust laws.

The ruling has significant implications for Apple, as Koh ordered that Qualcomm must negotiate or renegotiate license terms with its customers in good faith without threatening to cut off access to its cellular modem chips or related software and technical support, according to Mueller.

Qualcomm also must make patent licenses available to rival cellular modem suppliers on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory or "FRAND" terms, and may not enter exclusive agreements for the supply of modem chips.

Apple sued Qualcomm in early 2017 over these anticompetitive business practices, and unpaid royalty rebates, but the two companies announced an agreement to end all ongoing litigation worldwide last month. The settlement includes a six-year licensing agreement and a multiyear chipset supply agreement.

It's unclear if Apple had any hint that the FTC was likely to win its antitrust case and if that had any implications on its settlement with Qualcomm.

While it appears that Intel will remain the sole supplier of LTE modems in 2019 iPhones, Qualcomm is expected to supply Apple with its industry-leading 5G modems for 2020 iPhones now that the companies have settled, so Koh's ruling could lead to a fairer agreement between Apple and Qualcomm moving forward.

Farther down the road, multiple reports have indicated that Apple is designing its own cellular modems that would allow it to drop Qualcomm for good, although they might not appear in iPhones until as late as 2025.

Qualcomm will likely appeal the ruling, but Mueller believes the chipmaker faces an uphill battle given "such a rich and powerful body of evidence" regarding its anticompetitive business practices. Mueller has excellent, in-depth coverage of Koh's ruling on his blog FOSS Patents that is well worth a read.

"We strongly disagree with the judge's conclusions, her interpretation of the facts and her application of the law," said Don Rosenberg, general counsel of Qualcomm, in a statement shared by the Washington Post's Hamza Shaban.

Update 2: The ruling will not affect last month's settlement between Apple and Qualcomm, according to Bloomberg. "There are no provisions in the deal between Apple and Qualcomm that allowed for a reversal or change in the event the FTC won its case against the chipmaker," the report claims, citing a source.

Koh's complete ruling is embedded ahead.

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Safari on iOS has a surprising number of hidden tricks, letting you manipulate tabs, conduct page-specific searches, and more, and not all of these features are immediately obvious due to the gestures involved.

We've rounded up some useful must-know Safari tips that you might not be aware of or may have forgotten, so make sure to check out our video because we bet there's something here that's going to be new to you.

Safari Tips and Tricks

• Close All Tabs - Have hundreds of tabs open in Safari on your iPhone? You can close them all at once. Just long press right on the "Done" button in the tab view (which you can get to by pressing the little icon that looks like two squares) and you'll see an option to close all tabs.
• Open Recently Closed Tabs - Accidentally closed a tab you didn't want to close? In the tab view, long press on the "+" button and it will bring up a list of tabs that you've closed recently so you can open it right back up.
• Search Your Open Tabs - With tons of tabs, you might need to do some hunting around to find the specific tab you're looking for, but luckily, a built-in tab search feature makes this easier. Just scroll to the top of your tabs view (or tap the top of the screen to jump to the top) and you'll see a search bar for searching tabs.
• Close Filtered Tabs - If you want to close some of your tabs while leaving the rest open, the search feature doubles as a filter. After doing a search in your tabs, long press on the "Cancel" button next to the search interface and you'll see an option to close only the tabs that match your search.
• Find Text on Page - You know how you can use the Command + F feature on a Mac to find something specific on a page? There's a find feature in iOS too. With a website open, type in a search phrase in the search bar at the top and then scroll down to "On This Page" to search for that term on the website. Alternatively, you can open up the Share Sheet and locate the "Find on Page" button.
• Close Tabs on Other Devices - If you have multiple devices and use iCloud along with the feature that syncs Safari information, you can close tabs on your Mac or your iPad right from your ‌iPhone‌. To do it, open up the tab view (again, the little icon with two squares), scroll all the way to the bottom of your open tabs, and then you'll see an interface that lists open tabs on other devices.
• Handoff Websites - If you're looking at a website on your ‌iPhone‌ and then want to open it up on your Mac, you can use Handoff, which is available on most modern Mac machines and iPhones. On the Mac, you'll see a little Safari icon on your dock with a small ‌iPhone‌ icon, just click on that and whatever you're looking at on your ‌iPhone‌ can be opened up right on your Mac. You can also open websites from device to device using the same cloud tab interface used for closing tabs on other devices.

Have other useful Safari tips that we didn't share here? Let us know in the comments and we may include them in a future tips and tricks video.