MacRumors

Apple is set to launch new iPad models in the first half of 2019, according to Taiwanese supply chain website DigiTimes.

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One of those new models is expected to be the so-called iPad mini 5, but anyone hoping for a major redesign should lower their expectations, as Japanese blog Mac Otakara reports that the tablet will have a similar design as the ‌iPad mini‌ 4. The information comes from the blog's discussions with accessory makers.

Mac Otakara claims the ‌iPad mini‌ 5 will have identical dimensions as the ‌iPad mini‌ 4, including a thickness of 6.1mm, suggesting that the tablet will have the same 7.9-inch display if bezel size remains unchanged. The blog also expects the tablet to retain a Lightning connector, Touch ID, and 3.5mm headphone jack.

One design change expected is the repositioning of the rear microphone to a top-center position in line with the sixth-generation ‌iPad‌.

The report claims it is unclear whether the ‌iPad mini‌ 5 will have an A10 Fusion chip akin to the iPhone 7, ‌iPhone‌ 7 Plus, and sixth-generation ‌iPad‌, or an A10X Fusion chip in line with 2017 iPad Pro models and the Apple TV 4K.

It's also unclear if the ‌iPad mini‌ 5 will support the original Apple Pencil, but second-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌ support seems to be ruled out.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Apple's forthcoming second-generation AirPods will feature a new design and improved audio performance, while its AirPower wireless charging pad will launch in the Spring, a new report claims today.

airpower airpods
Rumor site MySmartPrice said one of its "trusted sources" claims the AirPods 2, tipped for release this year, will offer better bass response thanks to improved internals, and both the earbuds and case will include a special matte coating to enhance grip, similar to a coating used on the glass back of Google's Pixel 3 phone.

The report also repeats previous rumors suggesting Apple's second-generation AirPods will feature health monitoring features, including heart-rate monitoring, and claims that battery life is likely to be more or less similar to the current model.

In addition, the site believes the new AirPods 2 earphones will be available in black and white colors and cost around $200, a 40 dollar increase on the current price, although whether this detail comes from the same source or just speculation is unclear.


The site's source offers no concrete launch window for the AirPods 2, however in a separate report this morning, DigiTimes reiterated previous rumors from its supply chain sources that Apple will release new-generation AirPods in the first half of this year. Apple supplier Inventec is a major assembler of AirPods and expects its shipments to grow further as a result of the launch, which has also been tipped for early 2019 by well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Meanwhile, MySmartPrice claims Apple's ‌AirPower‌ wireless charging pad will be thicker than originally planned due to an internal 8-7-7 coil configuration, and will finally be released in Spring this year, "alongside the wireless charging case for the first-generation AirPods." Apple is expected to release a standalone AirPods case that can be purchased as an upgrade for existing AirPods to enable wireless charging.

Back in November, MySmartPrice was first to spot new AirPods listings in the Bluetooth Special Interest Group's regulatory database, suggesting a refreshed version of the accessory could be coming in the near future. Otherwise, the site doesn't have much of a track record for corroborated Apple rumors, so the above details should be taken with a grain of salt.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

New York resident Jay Brodsky has filed a frivolous class action lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company's so-called "coercive" policy of not letting customers disable two-factor authentication beyond a two-week grace period is both inconvenient and violates a variety of California laws.

two factor apple
The complaint alleges that Brodsky "and millions of similarly situated consumers across the nation have been and continue to suffer harm" and "economic losses" as a result of Apple's "interference with the use of their personal devices and waste of their personal time in using additional time for simple logging in."

In a support document, Apple says it prevents customers from turning off two-factor authentication after two weeks because "certain features in the latest versions of iOS and macOS require this extra level of security":

If you already use two-factor authentication, you can no longer turn it off. Certain features in the latest versions of iOS and macOS require this extra level of security, which is designed to protect your information. If you recently updated your account, you can unenroll for two weeks. Just open your enrollment confirmation email and click the link to return to your previous security settings. Keep in mind, this makes your account less secure and means that you can't use features that require higher security.

The complaint is riddled with questionable allegations, however, including that Apple released a software update around September 2015 that enabled two-factor authentication on Brodsky's Apple ID without his knowledge or consent. Apple in fact offers two-factor authentication on an opt-in basis.

Brodsky also claims that two-factor authentication is required each time you turn on an Apple device, which is false, and claims the security layer adds an additional two to five minutes or longer to the login process when it in fact only takes seconds to enter a verification code from a trusted device.

The complaint goes on to allege that Apple's confirmation email for two-factor authentication enrollment containing a "single last line" alerting customers that they have a two-week period to disable the security layer is "insufficient."

apple two factor email
Brodsky accuses Apple of violating the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, California's Invasion of Privacy Act, and other laws. He, on behalf of others similarly situated, is seeking monetary damages as well as a ruling that prevents Apple from "not allowing a user to choose its own logging and security procedure." Read the full document.

Apple has begun selling certified refurbished 2018 MacBook Air and Mac mini models in the United States and Canada for the first time, following availability in several European countries starting Friday.

refurb mac mini 2018 macbook air 2018
In the United States, refurbished pricing starts at $1,019 for the base model MacBook Air, down from $1,199 brand new, and $679 for the base model Mac mini, down from $799 brand new. Various other custom configurations are available for each Mac with discounts up to 15 percent versus brand new prices.

While the refurbished higher-end ‌MacBook Air‌ models may be worth considering, the base model is worth passing over, as authorized resellers such as Amazon and B&H are offering it brand new in box for $999 in the United States.

Orders placed today are estimated for delivery by early next week. We recommend using Refurb Tracker to monitor inventory.

Apple says certified refurbished ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌Mac mini‌ models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged, with all manuals and cables included in the box. In our view, a refurbished Mac is virtually indistinguishable from a brand new one. They're also backed by Apple's standard one-year warranty.

A refurbished Mac's warranty can be extended to three years from the refurbished purchase date with AppleCare+.

(Thanks, Jason A!)

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

Related Roundups: MacBook Air, Mac mini
Related Forums: MacBook Air, Mac mini

Last month, Apple lowered its revenue guidance for the first quarter of its 2019 fiscal year by up to $9 billion due to fewer iPhone upgrades than it anticipated, primarily due to economic weakness in the Greater China region.

trio iphones ios
A few months prior to the announcement, Apple began heavily promoting ‌iPhone‌ XR and ‌iPhone‌ XS trade-ins with a limited time promotion, prominent banner on its website, emails to older iPhone users, store signage, App Store editorials, and other uncharacteristically aggressive tactics aimed at boosting sales.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple reassigned some of its marketing staff to focus on bolstering sales of its latest ‌iPhone‌ lineup in late October, around the time the ‌iPhone‌ XR launched. The report cited an unnamed source who described the efforts as a "fire drill."

In a report this week about Deirdre O'Brien succeeding Angela Ahrendts as Apple's retail chief, Gurman elaborated a bit more on Apple's tactics to promote its latest iPhones, claiming that the company advised its technicians to "push ‌iPhone‌ upgrades to consumers with out-of-warranty devices."

Senior retail staff were also tasked with making sure other employees were suggesting upgrades, according to Gurman:

In December, as Apple executives worried about demand, the company asked retail employees to promote the new iPhones using methods not seen before. Technicians were told to push iPhone upgrades to consumers with out-of-warranty devices. Senior sales staff had to make sure other retail workers were suggesting upgrades, and easels offering generous trade-in deals for the iPhone XR were erected in stores. Apple's online homepage was also replaced with reduced iPhone pricing that required a trade-in of older models.

We presume this refers to Genius Bar technicians at Apple Stores, but there is also a network of Apple Authorized Service Providers, some of which double as authorized resellers that offer the latest Apple products for sale.

It's unclear if the tactics had any influence on Ahrendts stepping down from her position. Unlike her short-lived predecessor John Browett, who reportedly pushed Apple retail employees to aggressively upsell products, Ahrendts focused on the experience with free Today at Apple creativity sessions and more.

Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that "customers are holding on to their older iPhones a bit longer than in the past." In a letter to shareholders, Cook said Apple is undertaking and accelerating initiatives to improve its results, such as making it simple to trade in a phone at its stores.

Apple's reported efforts to push ‌iPhone‌ upgrades creates an interesting juxtaposition. On one hand, the company's environmental chief Lisa Jackson recently said customers using its devices longer "is the best thing for the planet," and on the other hand it is more aggressively encouraging customers to buy a new ‌iPhone‌.

Skip to 1:23:51 mark for Lisa Jackson's comments

Whether the tactics are effective will be harder to gauge going forward, as Apple no longer discloses unit sales in its quarterly earnings report. Apple forecasted revenue between $55 billion and $59 billion in the current quarter, which would be down from $61.1 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Related Forum: iPhone

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Jackery to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Jackery Portable Power Station Generator 240, which offers 240Wh (67000mAh) of power for camping, emergencies, and more.

Jackery makes a wide range of battery packs and portable power stations in different sizes, and the Power Station 240 is one of its largest.

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Priced at $250, the Power Station 240 is ideal to have on hand for power outages, and it's also useful for camping, RV use, and other activities where you need a lot of portable power.

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There's an AC outlet, a car port, and two 2.4A USB-A outputs so you can charge up multiple devices at once. According to Jackery, it can charge a smartphone 18 times, an iPad Pro 6 times, a laptop up to 4 times, and a GoPro 40 times.

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Despite the power it's packing, the Power Station 240 is portable, measuring in at nine inches tall, seven and a half inches wide, and 5 inches deep. It weighs 6.8 pounds and has a handle at the top to make it easy to carry.

jackery2404
There's an LCD display at the front that lets you know how much charge is left, and a built-in LED flashlight is included for when the power is out.

jackery2405
There are multiple ways to recharge the Jackery 240, including using a 50W Jackery solar panel (needs to be purchased separately), a carport, or an AC wall outlet. It takes approximately eight hours to recharge via the standard methods, or 10 hours with the add-on solar panel.


We have two of the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240s to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win our giveaway, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (February 8) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 15. The winners will be chosen randomly on February 15 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

AT&T today is offering a selection of Apple's silicone and leather iPhone cases for just $5.00 in new condition, during a limited time promotion. Cases in the sale cover the iPhone XS, iPhone X, and iPhone 8 Plus, and these are as much as $45 off their original prices with lowest-ever price points seen for new versions of the accessories.

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

Apple's leather and silicone cases are built to fit snugly onto their respective iPhones, providing full access to the volume, silence, and lock buttons. iPhone XS cases do fit on iPhone X devices, although there may be some small gaps in the camera cutout on the rear of the case.

28 deals image
You can shop for all of the special prices offered by AT&T on Apple's iPhone cases in the list below. At this time, it's unclear how long these prices will be staying around.

Note: if you purchase three cases at once, you can automatically mark the cost of each case down by another $1 thanks to AT&T's current "Grab and Save" discount.

iPhone XS

iPhone X

iPhone 8 Plus

Head to our full Deals Roundup for additional information on sales happening as we enter the weekend.

Update 2/20: In the days following news of the iPhone case sale at AT&T, many users began pointing out that their orders were cancelled. In emails sent to these shoppers, AT&T noted, "This item flew off our shelves and isn't available anymore."

Now, an AT&T spokesperson has now provided the following statement to MacRumors, apologizing for the incident and giving the affected customers a 30 percent discount code:

"Customers who placed their order after our stock was depleted were never charged. We have apologized for the inconvenience and are offering them a 30% discount on other accessories."

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple today began selling refurbished 2018 models of the MacBook Air and Mac mini for the first time, although availability is currently limited to Europe. Listings for refurbished 2018 MacBook Air models have also gone live in the United States, but the purchase button does not work yet.

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In the UK, the base model ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced at £1,019, which is £180 off Apple's regular price of £1,199 brand new. The base model Mac mini is priced at £679, reflecting savings of £120 off £799 brand new.

The refurbished ‌MacBook Air‌ models will start at $1,019 in the United States when they become available to order. That is a discount worth passing over, as authorized resellers such as Amazon and B&H are currently offering the 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌ brand new in box for $999, a savings of $200:

‌Mac mini‌ deals are less common, so refurbished models could be worth considering. Orders placed today are estimated for delivery by early next week in the United Kingdom. We recommend using Refurb Tracker to monitor inventory.

Apple says certified refurbished ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌Mac mini‌ models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged, with all manuals and cables included in the box. In our view, a refurbished Mac is virtually indistinguishable from a brand new one, and is also backed by Apple's standard one-year warranty.

A refurbished Mac's warranty can be extended to three years from the refurbished purchase date with AppleCare+.

Update: Refurbished 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌Mac mini‌ models are also available in other European countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, and Italy. Thanks to Jean-Baptiste from iPhoneAddict.

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

Related Roundups: MacBook Air, Mac mini
Related Forums: MacBook Air, Mac mini

Apple today shared a trio of new Memoji ads on its YouTube channel featuring Ariana Grande, Khalid, and Florida Georgia Line.


The videos highlight today's release of Grande's full album "Thank U, Next," yesterday's release of Khalid's single "Talk," and the upcoming release of Florida Georgia Line's country album "Can't Say I Ain't Country" on February 15. All of the songs and albums can be streamed with Apple Music.

Grande and Florida Georgia Line are nominees for the 61st GRAMMY Awards, airing this Sunday on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Grande and fellow nominees Shawn Mendes and Kacey Musgraves are featured on Memoji billboards in Los Angeles.

In a support document outlining the security content of iOS 12.1.4, Apple credited both 14-year-old Grant Thompson of Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Arizona and Daven Morris of Arlington, Texas with reporting a major Group FaceTime bug to the company that allowed users to eavesdrop on others.

facetime bug duo
Thompson and his mother are widely known for being the first people to discover and report the bug to Apple, over a week before it made headlines on January 28, but nothing was known about Morris until now.

The Wall Street Journal today shared a few details about Morris, noting he is a 27-year-old software engineer who reported the bug to Apple on January 27, several days after the Thompsons but one day before it made headlines. He apparently discovered the bug a week earlier while planning a group trip with friends.

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Apple on Thursday said it will compensate the Thompson family for finding and reporting the bug and make an additional gift toward Grant Thompson's education. Apple hasn't disclosed the exact sums of the donations. It's unclear if Morris will also be compensated by the company for reporting the bug.

In a statement issued to MacRumors, Apple apologized for the bug a second time and assured customers that it has been fixed in iOS 12.1.4, as has a previously unreported vulnerability in the Live Photos feature of FaceTime:

Today's software update fixes the security bug in Group FaceTime. We again apologize to our customers and we thank them for their patience. In addition to addressing the bug that was reported, our team conducted a thorough security audit of the FaceTime service and made additional updates to both the FaceTime app and server to improve security. This includes a previously unidentified vulnerability in the Live Photos feature of FaceTime. To protect customers who have not yet upgraded to the latest software, we have updated our servers to block the Live Photos feature of FaceTime for older versions of iOS and macOS.

Apple has reenabled its Group FaceTime servers, but the feature will remain permanently disabled on iOS 12.1 through iOS 12.1.3.

Widely publicized last month, the ‌FaceTime‌ bug allowed one person to call another person via ‌FaceTime‌, slide up on the interface and enter their own phone number, and automatically gain access to audio from the other person's device without that person accepting the call. In some cases, even video was accessible.

We demonstrated the bug in a video at the time:


Apple already faces a lawsuit in Texas, a proposed class action lawsuit in Canada, questions from a U.S. Congress committee, and an investigation by New York officials over the bug and its serious privacy implications.

Sprint has filed a lawsuit in federal court against AT&T for its false "5G Evolution" claims that appeared on some iPhones in iOS 12.2 beta 2 earlier this week, and on Android phones in January (via Engadget). AT&T says that this "5GE" label indicates to customers when they are in an area where 5G Evolution "may be available," but it's really just an upgraded version of 4G LTE, because any form of 5G on an iPhone is impossible at this point.

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Apple will have to release new hardware to support 5G services, a launch that isn't expected until 2020. Because of this, Sprint has filed an injunction to prevent AT&T from using ‌5GE‌ tags on its devices or in advertising, claiming that AT&T is damaging the consumer reputation and understanding of true 5G, and potentially hurting Sprint's upcoming launch of 5G in the process.

In the claim, Sprint explains that it commissioned a survey and found that 54 percent of consumers believed that the "‌5GE‌" networks were the same as, or even better, than true 5G. Forty-three percent thought that if they purchased an AT&T smartphone today it will be 5G capable, both of which are not true.

Now, Sprint wants to stop AT&T from damaging the 5G brand while it builds a "legitimate early entry into the 5G network space." Like every other network carrier, Sprint has been working on a wide-scale 5G network that has previously been said to launch in late 2019. True 5G networks will grant users faster data speeds and lower latency on compatible smartphones and other cellular devices.

For Apple, the company won't release an ‌iPhone‌ that can connect to 5G data networks until at least 2020. While other companies will begin supporting 5G in smartphones in 2019, Apple is delaying support due to expected issues with early 5G launches, like poor coverage. Apple took the same strategy during the launch of 3G and 4G, the two previous generations of high-speed mobile services.

Update: AT&T has provided the following statement to MacRumors:

“We understand why our competitors don’t like what we are doing, but our customers love it. We introduced 5G Evolution more than two years ago, clearly defining it as an evolutionary step to standards-based 5G. 5G Evolution and the 5GE indicator simply let customers know when their device is in an area where speeds up to twice as fast as standard LTE are available. That’s what 5G Evolution is, and we are delighted to deliver it to our customers.

We will fight this lawsuit while continuing to deploy 5G Evolution in addition to standards-based mobile 5G. Customers want and deserve to know when they are getting better speeds. Sprint will have to reconcile its arguments to the FCC that it cannot deploy a widespread 5G network without T-Mobile while simultaneously claiming in this suit to be launching ‘legitimate 5G technology imminently.’”

ios 12 iconTwo vulnerabilities that Apple patched in its latest iOS 12.1.4 update were successfully exploited by hackers before they were known to Apple, according to a top Google security engineer.

Ben Hawkes, team leader at Google's Project Zero security research group, revealed in a tweet that vulnerabilities identified as CVE-2019-7286 and CVE-2019-7287 in Apple's iOS 12.1.4 security change log had been exploited in the wild as "zero day".

A zero-day vulnerability refers to a security hole in software that is unknown to the software developer and the public, although it may already be known by attackers who are quietly exploiting it.

As ZDNet notes, it's unclear under what circumstances the vulnerabilities were used, but one exploit involved the iOS Foundation component and a memory corruption issue that could allow an app to gain "elevated privileges" on an iPhone 5s and later, iPad Air and later, or iPod touch 6th generation. The second vulnerability potentially allowed for kernel privileges and affected the same devices.

Apple credited "an anonymous researcher, Clement Lecigne of Google Threat Analysis Group, Ian Beer of Google Project Zero, and Samuel Groß of Google Project Zero" for discovering both vulnerabilities.

Apple's iOS 12.1.4 update for the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and iPod touch, was principally designed to fix an insidious privacy-invading Group FaceTime bug discovered by a high school student that could be exploited to eavesdrop on conversations.

Dark Sky has gained an optional Dark Mode in the latest version of the hyperlocal weather app for iOS.

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The update means users can check weather information in the app with white text on a dark background, a new design that's supposed to be easier on the eyes in dimly lit environments.

In addition, Dark Sky v6.2 also gains an optional Daylight mode that automatically enables the black interface when the sun goes down.

The new settings can be accessed by tapping the cog wheel icon in the top-right of Dark Sky's main screen, where a new Appearance menu lets users select from Light, Dark, or Daylight.

‌Dark Mode‌ is becoming increasingly popular in smartphone apps, and iOS 13 will reportedly include a system-wide dark mode to match the dark mode that was first introduced on Mac with macOS Mojave. The upcoming setting will allow for "easier nighttime viewing," according to Bloomberg.

Dark Sky users on iOS can get the new update for free starting today, and those who haven't downloaded the app yet can do so for $3.99 [Direct Link].

Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to deliver the keynote address to Tulane graduates at the university's 2019 commencement event, set to take place on May 18 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the university announced today.

Tulane University shared the news with students through a cute video that spelled out Cook's visit in emoji.

Tulane President Mike Fitts said that Cook represents the "kind of success" that the university hopes that all graduates can attain.

"At Tulane, we are committed to addressing global challenges, giving back to our community and always acting with integrity and wisdom. Tim shows us how we can incorporate these values into life beyond graduation, and we are thrilled to have him as part of our commencement celebration."

Cook said that he "can't wait" to celebrate alongside new Tulane graduates later this year.

"Tulane's dedication to its students and the diverse community around them is an awesome example of the lessons we all learn when we come together, recognize our responsibilities to each other and give back," said Cook. "At Apple we believe that education is a powerful equalizing force, and I can't wait to celebrate alongside this year's students who have worked hard, followed their passions and who stand ready to change the world."

Cook has given commencement addresses at multiple universities over the years, including his alma mater Auburn University, Duke University, George Washington University, and MIT.

Yesterday, TechCrunch discovered that multiple popular iPhone apps from major companies are using intrusive analytics services that capture data ranging from taps and swipes to full screen recordings, all without customers knowing about it.

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Today, Apple has informed app developers that this kind of screen recording analytics code needs to be clearly disclosed to customers or removed from iOS apps. From an Apple spokesperson's email to TechCrunch:

"Protecting user privacy is paramount in the Apple ecosystem. Our App Store Review Guidelines require that apps request explicit user consent and provide a clear visual indication when recording, logging, or otherwise making a record of user activity."

"We have notified the developers that are in violation of these strict privacy terms and guidelines, and will take immediate action if necessary," the spokesperson added.

At least one developer has already been told to remove the code that recorded app activities. From an email to the developer:

"Your app uses analytics software to collect and send user or device data to a third party without the user's consent. Apps must request explicit user consent and provide a clear visual indication when recording, logging, or otherwise making a record of user activity."

Apple is serious about getting rid of this code and gave the developer in question less than a day to remove it and resubmit the app before it would be pulled from the App Store.

High-profile apps like Abercrombie & Fitch, Hotels.com, Air Canada, Hollister, Expedia, and Singapore Airlines are using Glassbox, a customer experience analytics firm with a "session replay" screen recording feature.

Session replays are designed to let developers screenshot or record or a user's screen and then play back those recordings to see how users interact with their apps. Taps, button pushes, and keyboard entries are all captured and provided to app developers.

None of the apps above disclosed that they were recording a user's screen in their privacy policies, which is apparently in violation of Apple's ‌App Store‌ rules.

Apple also requires apps that record the screen to have a little red icon on the top left corner of the phone to make it clear that the screen is being recorded, and it sounds like Apple is going to enforce this rule for this kind of analytics tracking.

Most likely, apps will need to remove this feature because customers are not going to willingly use an app that's recording everything that they're doing and displaying a persistent red icon while the app is open.

There are many other analytics companies that have similar practices like Appsee and UXCam, so there are undoubtedly many more apps that are using these secret screen recording features without customer knowledge.

Update: Glassbox, the company that many apps use for screen recording analytics capabilities, provided the following statement to MacRumors on the issue:

"TechCrunch's piece raised valid concerns. Yet we believe it is partial and doesn't adequately convey the many benefits for our customers and their users; or reflect the security and privacy capabilities inherent in Glassbox.

Glassbox and its customers are not interested in "spying" on consumers. Our goals are to improve online customer experiences and to protect consumers from a compliance perspective. Since its inception, Glassbox has helped organizations improve millions of customer experiences by providing tools that record and analyze user activity on web sites and apps. This information helps companies better understand how consumers are using their services, and where and why they are struggling.

We are strong supporters of user privacy and security. Glassbox provides its customers with the tools to mask every element of personal data. We firmly believe that our customers should have clear policies in place so that consumers are aware that their data is being recorded -- just as contact centers inform users that their calls are being recorded.

Furthermore: No data collected by Glassbox customers is shared with third parties, nor enriched through other external sources.
Glassbox meets the highest security and data privacy standards and regulations (e.g. SOC2, GDPR), and all data captured via our solution is highly secured and encrypted.

We provide our customers with the ability to mask every piece of data entered by a consumer, restrict access to authorized users, and maintain a full audit log of every user accessing the system.

We don't simply record data and provide customers with session replay. Brands come to us because Glassbox means source-proof, tamper-proof, encrypted records of digital activity. These characteristics make Glassbox invaluable, not to 'spy' on customers, but to (a) aid in creating the best and easiest digital journey, and (b) protect both brands and customers with evidential truth that allows for safe and compliant digital experiences."

Apple recently added obstetrician Dr. Christine Curry to its health team, reports CNBC. With this hiring, Apple is said to be looking in to how to bolster its efforts in women's health.

Curry comes to Apple from a stint at Kaiser Permanente in Redwood City, California, which is located not too far from Apple's Cupertino campuses.

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Apple employs dozens of doctors at its "AC Wellness clinics" designed for Apple employees. Sources that spoke to CNBC said that while Curry has an interest in women's health, she will be working on "various health issues across the health teams."

When Apple first launched its Health app and HealthKit service, there was no section for reproductive health, but it was later added. There is now a full Reproductive Health section available within the Health app that integrates with period and fertility trackers.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said that he believes Apple's ultimate contribution to mankind will be its improvements to the health field.

Tag: Health

Netflix today announced the launch of a new Smart Downloads feature that's designed to streamline the process of downloading content for offline viewing.

With Smart Downloads, when you finish viewing an episode of a TV show that you've downloaded, Netflix will delete it and then automatically download the next episode. Smart Downloads is designed to download content only when you're connected to Wi-Fi so it's not using your cellular data plan.

netflixsmartdownloads
Netflix users can choose to use or disable the Smart Downloads feature, which is available on iOS and Android devices. Turning off Smart Downloads will keep watched content on your device.

On iPhone and iPad, you can tap the Downloads icon, choose "My Downloads" and select "Smart Downloads" to toggle it on or off.

Netflix for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Netflix

Apple earlier this week released a new beta of iOS 12.2 to developers and public beta testers, but that beta does not include the same Group FaceTime bug fix that was introduced in today's iOS 12.1.4 update.

Apple's Group ‌FaceTime‌ servers are back online, but because the issue has not been fixed in iOS 12.2, Group ‌FaceTime‌ is not working on beta devices.

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We have been testing Group ‌FaceTime‌ since the servers came back online, and while we can get calls to work between multiple people on devices running iOS 12.1.4, calls do not go through on devices running iOS 12.2 beta 2.

Developers and public beta testers will need to wait until the Group ‌FaceTime‌ bug fix is added to the next iOS 12.2 beta before being able to use the feature.

Group ‌FaceTime‌ is also unavailable on devices running iOS 12.1.3 or earlier, and will remain unavailable until the devices are upgraded to iOS 12.1.4. The same goes for Macs that are not running the newly updated macOS 10.14.3 update. Group ‌FaceTime‌ on Mac doesn't work on Macs running the older version of macOS 10.14.3 or the new macOS 10.14.4 beta update.

Related Forum: iOS 12