Samsung today announced the launch of its latest flagship mobile processor that's expected to power the firm's upcoming Galaxy S9 series devices. Called the Exynos 9810, the 9 series CPU is built on a second-generation 10-nanometer (nm) FinFET process and, apart from being faster and more energy efficient, includes advanced AI and deep learning capabilities that will power a new breed of facial recognition features in the smartphones.
The Exynos 9810 has a neural engine that can recognize people and objects in photos at very high speed, and will enable apps to use realistic face-tracking filters, according to Samsung – perhaps in a manner akin to Animojis which use the TrueDepth camera found in Apple's iPhone X.
Armed with the Exynos 9810, which has a separate secure processing unit for handling sensitive personal and biometric data, the new Samsung phones will also be capable of scanning and creating a 3D image of a user's face. The obvious suggestion here is that the Galaxy S9 range will have a facial authentication system similar to Face ID in the iPhone X.
Last year's S8 also had facial recognition capabilities, but it was limited to 2D tracking, making it less secure than Face ID and easy to fool. Despite the jump to 3D scanning though, it doesn't look like Samsung will be relying on facial recognition as the sole authentication method in its 2018 smartphones.
CAD leaks and rumors suggest the S9 will retain the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, now located underneath a new-dual camera setup instead of being positioned alongside a single lens, as it was on the S8. The change of location is presumably to make accidentally smudging the lens with fingerprints less likely, but as expected, Samsung will not be building fingerprint recognition into the OLED display. Otherwise, the general design of the Galaxy S9 looks largely similar to the S8.
For over a year leading up to the iPhone X, rumors ran rampant about Touch ID being placed under the display, or on the back or side of the device, but Apple has said those reports are untrue. In perhaps the biggest signal of its confidence in the security of its authentication method, rumors suggest Apple will remove Touch ID on all iPhones launched in 2018 in favor of Face ID.
When it comes to facial recognition, Apple's TrueDepth camera is said to have given Cupertino a solid technological lead throughout 2018, and perhaps beyond. Indeed, Samsung and other Android competitors could require up to two and a half years to replicate the functionality and user experience of the TrueDepth Camera in Apple's iPhone X, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
As with previous years, Samsung's new Galaxy Sx series of phones are expected to debut at the annual Mobile World Congress in February.
Hive, the U.K. smart connected home company backed by British Gas, today announced the Hive View, a smart indoor camera with an emphasis on style and high definition livestream security.
The 130-degree wide angle lens camera is capable of 1080p live-streaming, automatic 16ft night vision, and includes Bluetooth 4.1 to simplify setup. Meanwhile, the design, by industrial designer Yves Béhar, features a separatable magnetic camera cube and a magnetic ball-and-socket base, together allowing for a multitude of viewing angles.
The magnetic base and rotatable head enables the camera to be mounted on walls and ceilings, but the more unique feature lies in the way the camera cube can be detached and temporarily relocated away from the mount, thanks to a built-in 2100mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery providing up to 90 minutes of power.
The Hive View is available in two color options – White & Champagne Gold and Black & Brushed Copper – and costs £189 for a single camera or £319 for a two-pack. A rolling 30-day camera history for up to two cameras, and a host of other member-exclusive benefits, can be included for £4.99 per month. Otherwise, the Hive comes with a standard 24-hour camera history.
It's worth noting that getting the cameras to work does not require a Hive Hub – all that's required is an Android or iOS device for the Hive app, although there's currently no HomeKit support. Hive also offers a Close to Home plan that offers a saving of up to £130 on the full range of Hive smart home products, including Hive Active Lights, Hive Window or Door Sensors, a Hive Active Plug, and the Hive Hub. Check out the website for more details.
Promise Technology will soon offer custom configurations for its Pegasus3 line of Thunderbolt 3 desktop RAID storage solutions, allowing customers to configure a Pegasus3 RAID enclosure to meet specific needs.
Pricing on custom Pegasus3 configurations starts at $1,499. Customers can choose R4, R6, or R8 enclosures and select 1 and 2TB SSds or 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10TB hard drives. Prior to now, only specific configurations offered by manufacturers were available.
Promise's Pegasus3 storage solutions are designed for creative professionals who need speed and the protection that redundancy offers, with all options offering dual Thunderbolt 3 ports with 40Gb/s connectivity and support for six daisy-chained devices.
Custom configurations are available for purchase starting now on the Promise website, but the feature will officially be available on January 10.
In a statement on its website, Intel says that it planned to disclose the vulnerability next week when additional software patches were available, but was forced to make a statement today due to "inaccurate media reports."
According to Intel, the issue is not limited to Intel chips and the exploits in question do not have the potential to corrupt, modify, or delete data. Despite Intel's statement, Intel chips are more heavily impacted, and it's worth noting that Intel makes no mention of reading kernel level data.
Intel and other technology companies have been made aware of new security research describing software analysis methods that, when used for malicious purposes, have the potential to improperly gather sensitive data from computing devices that are operating as designed. Intel believes these exploits do not have the potential to corrupt, modify or delete data.
Recent reports that these exploits are caused by a "bug" or a "flaw" and are unique to Intel products are incorrect. Based on the analysis to date, many types of computing devices -- with many different vendors' processors and operating systems -- are susceptible to these exploits.
Intel says it is working with several other technology companies including AMD, ARM, and operating system vendors to "develop an industry-wide approach" to resolve the problem "promptly and constructively."
As outlined yesterday, the design flaw appears to allow normal user programs to see some of the contents of the protected kernel memory, potentially giving hackers and malicious programs access to sensitive information like passwords, login keys, and more. Fixing the issue involves isolating the kernel's memory from user processes using Kernel Page Table Isolation at the OS level.
Despite reports suggesting software fixes for the vulnerability could cause slowdowns of 5 to 30 percent on some machines, Intel claims performance impacts are workload-dependent and will not be noticeable to the average computer user.
Intel has begun providing software and firmware updates to mitigate these exploits. Contrary to some reports, any performance impacts are workload-dependent, and, for the average computer user, should not be significant and will be mitigated over time.
Intel goes on to say that it believes its products are "the most secure in the world" and that the current fixes in the works provide the "best possible security" for its customers. Intel recommends that users install operating system updates as soon as they are available.
For Mac users, Apple has already addressed the design flaw in macOS 10.13.2, which was released to the public on December 6.
Update: Security researchers have now shared details about two separate critical vulnerabilities impacting most Intel processors and some ARM processors. Called Meltdown and Spectre, the vulnerabilities offer hackers access to data from the memory of running apps, providing passwords, emails, documents, photos, and more.
"Almost every system" since 1995 is impacted according to ZDNet, including computers and smartphones. Meltdown can read the entire physical memory of the target machine, while Spectre is able to break the isolation between different apps. Meltdown, an easy-to-use exploit, affects only Intel chips and can be addressed by a security patch, which could result in some performance issues. Spectre impacts all processors, including those from ARM and AMD, and while it is harder to exploit, there is no known fix. Fully addressing Spectre will require a re-architecture of how processors are designed.
It's not known if hackers have exploited Meltdown and Spectre as of yet, but there are proof-of-concept examples out in the wild. Google's Project Zero team had a hand in unearthing the vulnerabilities and Google has also shared details on the exploits. Full research papers on Meltdown and Spectre are available here.
Update 2: ARM and AMD have both issued statements following Intel's press release. AMD says there is a "near zero risk" to AMD processors at this time, while ARM says its processors are vulnerable.
From AMD:
There is a lot of speculation today regarding a potential security issue related to modern microprocessors and speculative execution. As we typically do when a potential security issue is identified, AMD has been working across our ecosystem to evaluate and respond to the speculative execution attack identified by a security research team to ensure our users are protected.
To be clear, the security research team identified three variants targeting speculative execution. The threat and the response to the three variants differ by microprocessor company, and AMD is not susceptible to all three variants. Due to differences in AMD's architecture, we believe there is a near zero risk to AMD processors at this time. We expect the security research to be published later today and will provide further updates at that time.
From ARM:
I can confirm that ARM have been working together with Intel and AMD to address a side-channel analysis method which exploits speculative execution techniques used in certain high-end processors, including some of our Cortex-A processors. This method requires malware running locally and could result in data being accessed from privileged memory. Please note our Cortex-M processors, which are pervasive in low-power, connected IoT devices, are not impacted.
We are in the process of informing our silicon partners and encouraging them to implement the software mitigations developed if their chips are impacted.
Apple's decision to offer $29 battery replacements to customers with older iPhones could cause iPhone sales to drop in 2018, according to Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz (via CNBC).
Customers opting for a battery replacement instead of upgrading an iPhone could be a "mild headwind" for iPhone unit sales, potentially resulting in millions of fewer iPhone purchases during the year. Moskowitz believes up to 77 percent of iPhone users are eligible to upgrade their batteries.
In our base case scenario, 10% of those 519M users take the $29 offer, and around 30% of them decide not to buy a new iPhone this year. This means around 16M iPhone sales could be at risk, creating ~4% downside to our current revenue estimate for C2018.
It remains to be seen if and how the battery replacement program will impact sales in practice despite analyst predictions, as there are other considerations that drive upgrades, such as new features.
The power management issue impacts the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus, but only in situations where battery health has declined. Affected iPhones see throttling during times of peak power usage, such as when running a benchmark.
iPhones that are running slower can be restored to their original condition with a fresh battery, which is why Apple has decided to offer $29 replacements from now until the end of 2018.
While Apple implemented power management features in older iPhones in an attempt to extend their lives as long as possible, some people have claimed that Apple is intentionally slowing devices to push its customers to upgrade, which the company says is not true. From Apple:
First and foremost, we have never -- and would never -- do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.
Though Apple may not have been aiming to get customers to upgrade their devices by implementing power management features, it's an inevitable side effect, hence why the battery program could cut into sales somewhat. Apple is currently facing several lawsuits from customers who claim they upgraded after experiencing slower speeds on their older iPhones.
Apple plans to offer $29 battery replacements throughout the year, and according to internal documentation, all customers who ask for a battery replacement for an affected iPhone will receive one, regardless of battery health.
Brazilian state agency Procon-SP today asked Apple to better explain why it has implemented power management features in older iPhones and how Brazilian iPhone users can obtain battery replacements, reports Reuters.
In a blog post on the Procon-SP website, the agency says that it sent a notice to Apple on Wednesday demanding information on how iPhone customers can replace their batteries, what models are included in the action, how long replacements will be available for, and the cost in Brazil.
Procon-SP attempted to deliver a notice to Apple this morning, which Apple refused to sign, but the demand for information was left at the front desk and the agency is giving Apple 10 days to respond.
It is not clear what will happen if Apple does not provide the info, but Reuters says Procon-SP has the power to levy fines or propose legal action against Apple.
Apple first announced plans to begin offering reduced-cost battery replacements in late December to provide a fix for customers who have noticed their iPhones slowing down due to power management features impacting older devices with degraded batteries.
Initially, Apple said that low-cost battery replacements would be available starting in late January, but later moved the timeline up. In the United States, battery replacements are priced at $29 and are available for the iPhone 6 and newer. Pricing on battery replacements varies in other countries.
Customers in need of a battery replacement should contact Apple's support staff in their country to initiate the replacement process. Reduced cost batteries will be available through the end of 2018.
Apple Authorized Service Providers will begin to receive standalone memory modules for the iMac Pro in late January, allowing them to start completing RAM upgrades and repairs, according to an internal memo distributed by Apple.
The directive, obtained by MacRumors, states that Apple Authorized Service Providers will be strictly required to use Apple-provided memory modules. Apple says RAM removal and installation requires the use of a special fixture and stiffeners, or else there is a risk of damaging the iMac Pro's logic board.
The memo instead states that only Apple Authorized Service Providers will be able to upgrade an iMac Pro's RAM, while repairs that don't involve increasing the amount of memory will be available at all Mac service locations, including Apple Stores. The exact policy may vary by country.
The wording suggests that Apple might only repair an iMac Pro's RAM in its stores, and direct customers to an Apple Authorized Service Provider like Simply Mac if they want to upgrade the RAM, but it's not entirely clear. We've reached out to Apple for clarification, and we'll update if we hear back.
Apple's internal memo adds that Apple Authorized Service Providers will be able to begin iMac Pro main logic board and SSD repairs in February, when service-related inventory of those parts will be more widely available.
You can find an Apple Authorized Service Provider in your area by clicking Service & Support on Apple's Find Locations page.
While standard 27-inch iMac models have a small hatch on their back side that allows the RAM in the machine to be upgraded after purchase, the iMac Pro does not have that feature and is not user upgradeable by Apple's definition.
When ordering the iMac Pro from Apple's website, the iMac Pro can be configured with 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB of 2,666MHz DDR4 ECC memory, and this should be carefully considered. 32GB is included in the base model for $4,999, while upgrading to 64GB and 128GB RAM costs $800 and $2,400 extra respectively.
According to developer Alex Ionescu, Apple introduced a fix in macOS 10.13.2, with additional tweaks set to be introduced in macOS 10.13.3, currently in beta testing. AppleInsider also says that it has heard from "multiple sources within Apple" that updates made in macOS 10.13.2 have mitigated "most" security concerns associated with the KPTI vulnerability.
The question on everyone's minds: Does MacOS fix the Intel #KPTI Issue? Why yes, yes it does. Say hello to the "Double Map" since 10.13.2 -- and with some surprises in 10.13.3 (under Developer NDA so can't talk/show you). cc @i0n1c@s1guza@patrickwardlepic.twitter.com/S1YJ9tMS63
— Alex Ionescu (@aionescu) January 3, 2018
Publicized yesterday, the design flaw in Intel chips allows normal user programs to see some of the contents of the protected kernel memory, potentially giving hackers and malicious programs access to sensitive information like passwords, login keys, and more.
Full details on the vulnerability continue to be unavailable and under embargo, so it's not yet clear just how serious it is, but fixing it involves isolating the kernel's memory from user processes using Kernel Page Table Isolation at the OS level. Implementing Kernel Page Table Isolation could cause a performance hit on some machines.
According to The Register, which first shared details on the vulnerability, Windows and Linux machines will see a 5 to 30 percent slowdown once a fix is in place. It appears Macs may not be hit as heavily, as no noticeable performance slowdowns have been reported since the launch of macOS 10.13.2.
Ionescu also says that performance drop on a system with PCID (Process-Context Identifiers), available on most modern Macs, is "minimal," so most users may not see an impact on day-to-day Mac usage.
Apple has yet another new original television show in the works, which will star Octavia Spencer, known for her work in movies like "Hidden Figures," "The Help," "Gifted," and "The Shape of Water."
According to Variety, the upcoming series is a drama called "Are You Sleeping," which is based on a novel by Kathleen Barber.
Image of Octavia Spencer via Variety
Described as a psychological thriller, the book focuses on a podcast that reopens a murder case, similar to the popular "Serial" podcast. The novel explores how the reopening of the murder case impacts the victim's daughter and disrupts her life. Sarah Koenig, who created and produced the "Serial" podcast, will consult on the series.
"Are You Sleeping" was written by Nichelle Tramble Spellman, and the series will be produced by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine and Chernin Entertainment/Endeavor Content.
Apple is also working with Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine on an as of yet untitled "morning show drama" that will take a look into the "cutthroat world" of morning TV.
Along with these two TV shows, Apple has picked up two additional shows, including a revival of 1985 Steven Spielberg sci-fi series "Amazing Stories" and an untitled space drama developed by Ronald D. Moore, known for "Battlestar Galactica."
Apple has been heavily pursuing original content since June of 2017, which is when it hired former Sony executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht to form a new video unit. Van Amburg and Erlicht, who produced shows like "Breaking Bad," "The Crown," and "Better Call Saul," are running Apple's video programming efforts on a worldwide scale under iTunes chief Eddy Cue. Since June, Apple has made multiple high-profile TV-related hires and has opened an office at The Culver Studios in Los Angeles.
It's not yet clear when the first of Apple's original TV shows will premiere, but it's possible at least one of these will be ready in time for a 2018 debut.
Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show that's set to take place next week, ConnectSense has introduced its latest HomeKit-compatible product, the Smart In-Wall Outlet.
The Smart In-Wall Outlet is installed in a home in place of a traditional outlet, allowing anything that's plugged in to be controlled via the ConnectSense app, the Home app, or Siri, much like other homeKit products.
Fans, lights, and other appliances can be plugged into the Smart Outlet, which is designed to connect to a home's Wi-Fi setup. There are two connected outlets available, each of which can be controlled individually. The outlet offers a quick and easy way to make any product smart, and it provides power monitoring features along with plug detection.
ConnectSense says that in addition to in-home use, the Smart In-Wall Outlet is designed to operate in commercial environments like office buildings, airports, universities, and more, with both 15A and 20A options available.
The Smart In-Wall Outlet will be available for purchase later in 2018. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Apple today announced the official availability of fee waivers for its Apple Developer Program for nonprofit organizations, accredited educational institutions, and government entities in the United States who plan to distribute free apps on the App Store.
Qualified organizations are able to apply for the waiver, which will provide a free annual membership to the Developer Program. Apple normally charges developers $99 per year.
Apple's plan to offer free developer memberships to government and nonprofit apps in the United States was first highlighted in late December when its App Store guidelines were updated.
Apple's new Membership Fee Waiver webpage includes details on which organizations are eligible for the discount. Requirements include a EIN/Tax ID number, a D-U-N-S number, and legal entity status. Apple will review each fee waiver request.
Entities that receive the fee waiver may not publish paid apps or apps with in-app purchases, and members of the Apple Developer Enterprise Program are not eligible. The program is also not available to individuals and sole proprietors/single person businesses.
Fee waivers are currently limited to the United States, but Apple says waivers will be added for other countries "as they become available."
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 4.2.2 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the second beta and a month after releasing watchOS 4.2, an update that introduced support for Apple Pay Cash.
Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software update.
To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.
We don't yet know what features or improvements might be included in the watchOS 4.2.2 update, as no outward-facing changes were discovered in the first two betas.
It's possible this update focuses mainly on bug fixes, and if that's the case, we won't know the extent of the changes until it sees a public release complete with release notes. Should new features be discovered in the third watchOS 4.2.2 beta, we'll update this post.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.2.5 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the second beta and three weeks after the release of tvOS 11.2.1, an update that introduced a fix for a HomeKit vulnerability.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the tvOS 11.2.5 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.
We don't yet know what features or changes might be included in the tvOS 11.2.5 update, but it likely focuses primarily on bug fixes and performance improvements rather than major outward-facing changes.
There were no outward-facing changes discovered in the first two developer betas, but we'll update this post should new features be found in the third beta.
Update: Apple has also made a public beta available for public beta testers.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the second beta and a month after releasing macOS High Sierra 10.13.2, the second major update to the macOS High Sierra operating system.
The macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 beta can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.
It's not yet clear what improvements the third update to macOS High Sierra will bring, but it's likely to include bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.2.
No major outward-facing changes were discovered in the first two betas of macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, but we'll update this post should new features be found in the third beta.
The previous macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 update focused solely on security fixes and performance improvements, with no new features introduced.
Update: Apple has also made a public beta available for public beta testers.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming iOS 11.2.5 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the second beta and three weeks after releasing iOS 11.2.1, an update that introduced a fix for a HomeKit vulnerability.
Registered developers can download the iOS 11.2.5 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.
As of beta 2, iOS 11.2.5 includes a new feature that allows Siri to play daily news podcasts when queried about the news. Siri will offer up news shared by The Washington Post by default, but you can also choose to switch to Fox News, CNN, or NPR.
The new audio news feature is invoked when using Hey Siri or asking Siri about the news when using CarPlay or with headphones connected. If you activate Siri using the side button or Home button of a device, Apple news headlines are shown instead. It's not clear what other new features, if any, will be included in the iOS 11.2.5 beta. We didn't discover any other noticeable outward-facing changes in the first two iOS 11.2.5 betas, so it's possible this update focuses mainly on bug fixes and security improvements aside from the Siri news update.
If that's the case, we may not know the extent of what's in the update until it sees a public release. Apple is supposed to be releasing an iCloud Messages feature that was pulled from the iOS 11 release, but there has been no indication of when we can expect iCloud Messages to be reintroduced.
Update: Apple has also made a public beta available for public beta testers.
There are some iOS gestures and tricks that have been around forever, but remain relatively hidden because they're hard to find unless you know about them.
Closing all of the tabs in your Safari browser on an iOS device is one such trick -- it's simple if you know how to do it, but it's a gesture you might not know exists.
Long press on the "Tabs" icon denoted by two squares. On iPhones, it's at the bottom of the browser in portrait mode or at the top in landscape mode. On the iPad, it's at the top.
Select Close All Tabs.
Alternatively, you can single tap on the Tabs icon to bring up the browser window view, and then long press on "Done" to bring up the same "Close All Tabs" interface.
That's all there is to it. Safari will let you know how many tabs are currently open, and it will close each and every one after the Close All Tabs option is tapped.
Because it's so easy to open a new tab when browsing without meaning to on an iOS device, the Close All Tabs option is super handy for getting rid of all those open browser windows in one quick go.
iPhone users in most countries can initiate the battery replacement process online by scheduling an appointment with the Genius Bar at an Apple Store. The reduced price is also available at some third-party retailers and repair shops, as long as they are designated as an official Apple Authorized Service Provider.
After this article was published, MacRumors received a tip claiming Apple has reduced the price it charges Apple Authorized Service Providers for iPhone batteries to $5, down from $55, but some repair shops are still charging more than $29 for replacements to maintain reasonable profit margins for time and labor.
To get started, head to the Contact Apple Support page, click on See Your Products, and sign in to your Apple ID account.
Keyboard maker lofree has launched a modified version of last year's popular crowdfunded Bluetooth mechanical keyboard, which we reviewed here on MacRumors back in March. With the original input device, lofree's designers attempted to re-imagine the typing process by recreating the experience of operating a traditional typewriter, but in an elegant retro-modern design.
The new lofree Four Seasons keyboard comes in four new colors including Spring (Vernal White), Summer (Aestival Blue), Autumn (Autumnal Gray), and Winter (Hibernal Black). Several design changes have also been implemented that may help the lofree appeal to a wider audience.
While appreciating the original lofree's aesthetic and Mac compatibility, we criticized it in our review for some odd layout quirks, such as the decision to line up the number key row so that 1 is slightly right of Q, 2 is right of W, and so on. Happily, the layout has been reconfigured on the second generation lofree to more closely match the keys on a typical Apple keyboard and respect the muscle memory of Mac-based touch typists.
In addition to the repositioned number keycaps, the backspace and caps lock keys have been made longer, while the dual mechanical Gateron switches under 'enter', 'shift', and the space bar have been replaced by a single mount, to provide a more comfortable, stable typing experience. Lofree says it has also optimized the sideboard buttons to further extend the lifetime of the Four Seasons version.
The new lofree Four Seasons retains the adjustable backlight and remains compatible with iOS, Windows, and Android. With a month to go, the lofree Indiegogo campaign has already raised $108,803, which is 1,088 percent over its original $10,000 goal. Early bird customers can purchase one for $140 plus shipping (currently expected in March). You can find more information over on the official campaign page.
Promise Technology will soon offer 
Intel this afternoon 
Apple 
