MacRumors

A USB-based vulnerability that allows for the brute forcing of a passcode on an iOS device has been discovered by security researcher Matthew Hickey, reports ZDNet.

The method, which bypasses the 10-entry attempt that erases an iOS device when the setting is enabled, allows a hacker to plug an iPhone or iPad into a computer and send all passcodes, from 0000 to 9999, all at once, triggering an input routine that takes priority over anything else on the device. Hickey demos the hack in the video below.

"Instead of sending passcodes one at a time and waiting, send them all in one go," he said.

"If you send your brute-force attack in one long string of inputs, it'll process all of them, and bypass the erase data feature," he explained.

All that's required to use this brute force password cracking method is an iPhone or iPad that's turned on and locked and a Lightning cable, according to Hickey. It works on iOS devices up to iOS 11.3.

Hickey's iPhone cracking method takes between three and five seconds for each four-digit passcode, which means it's slow and not as advanced as other passcode cracking methods employed by companies like Grayshift, which makes the GrayKey box. For this method to guess a six-digit passcode, Hickey says it would take weeks.

Apple in iOS 12 is introducing a new USB Restricted Mode that may put a stop to the vulnerability that Hickey has discovered, as well as vulnerabilities exploited by tools like the GrayKey Box.

With USB Restricted Mode, enabled by default on iOS devices running iOS 12, USB access to an iPhone or iPad is cut off if it's been more than an hour since the device was last unlocked.

That means computers and other accessories can't be used to access a locked iPhone if it's been locked for over an hour, disabling access via a USB to Lightning cable.

Update: In a statement obtained by iMore, Apple says "the recent report about a passcode bypass on iPhone was in error, and a result of incorrect testing."

Alongside a major version 3.0 update that rolled out to its iOS app [Direct Link] earlier this week, Turner Classic Movies has also expanded support for its "Watch TCM" app to tvOS devices. Now the app can be downloaded to the fourth-generation Apple TV and fifth-generation Apple TV 4K, with thousands of classic films available on demand.

You'll need to have TCM already on your current cable or satellite TV package, and then once you sync the app to your log-in information you'll get access to its content. This includes two live streams for the east and west coast feed of Turner Classic Movies in addition to the on-demand movies.

Turner Classic Movies presents WATCH TCM, a “TV Everywhere” service that lets you enjoy unlimited access to the best of TCM, at no additional cost with your TV subscription. Not your ordinary “TV Everywhere” service, WATCH TCM is a content rich and in-depth movie companion that lets you experience the richly textured world of classic movies that only Turner Classic Movies can bring you.

The company says this back catalog includes "nearly every title playing on TCM," including introductions by special hosts like Ben Mankiewicz. Both live and on-demand movies are presented uncut, commercial free, and in their original aspect ratios.

The app also features articles, cast and crew information, photo galleries, short films, film collections ("Birthday Tributes", "31 Days of Oscar", "Silent Sunday Nights", etc.) and more. All of the films can be added to your Watchlist so you can keep an organized list of what you want to watch next, but the app doesn't appear to integrate with Apple's TV app as of yet.

Watch TCM differs from Turner Classic Movies' film streaming service "FilmStruck" since it connects to your pre-existing cable subscription. FilmStruck is a standalone subscription service that starts at $6.99/month and raises to $8.25/month ($99 billed annually) and includes most of TCM's classic films as well as the Criterion Collection. The app first debuted on the fourth-generation Apple TV in late 2016.

Nanoleaf's new 12-sided light-up remote joins its existing Nanoleaf Light Panels and Nanoleaf Rhythm, adding a whole slew of smartphone-free physical control options for your HomeKit setup in one easy-to-use accessory.

The Nanoleaf Remote is bigger than button and remote devices from other companies, but it offers access to many more scenes and as you'll see in my review, it's a great value if you already own a Nanoleaf setup and want a simple iPhone-free control method that anyone in the household can use.

I've had a Nanoleaf setup for more than a year, and it continues to be one of my favorite HomeKit products. The Remote is specifically designed for users who already have Nanoleaf Light Panels.

Design

Nanoleaf's Remote has a design that's not quite like any other HomeKit-enabled remote-style device on the market, with dodecahedron shape where each side activates a different scene.

The remote, which is a little bigger than palm sized, is made from a white plastic that admittedly feels a bit cheap, but it doesn't look bad sitting on a desk.

When the remote arrives, it comes in two halves, with one empty side and a one side that houses the batteries, an LED light, and the mechanism that provides a slight vibration whenever a new scene is activated. Two AA batteries (included in the package) fit into the battery compartment to provide power.

Once the batteries have been inserted, the two halves of the remote snap together. I wasn't quite able to get a perfect, seamless fit between the two halves, but that could be operator error.

I'm not sure how long the batteries are meant to last, but after about two weeks of use, the battery level is down to 85 percent. I suspect the batteries will need to be swapped out every few months, which is similar to other battery-powered HomeKit devices I own.

Setup

Setting up the Remote took less than 30 seconds using the Nanoleaf app, and it was as simple as the setup for any other HomeKit product. Under the Remote section of the app, there's an "Add Accessory" option, which requires the HomeKit code on the inside of the Nanoleaf Remote to be scanned. Once that's complete, the Remote is added to a HomeKit setup and scenes can be set either in the Nanoleaf app or the Home app.

On iOS devices, the Nanoleaf Light Panels and the Nanoleaf Remote work over HomeKit, and a HomeKit setup is required. You can also pair the Remote to the Nanoleaf Rhythm, however, which is required to enable full functionality, such as brightness controls. Sans a Nanoleaf Rhythm, which connects to the Light Panels to allow them to respond to sound, adjusting brightness does not work.

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Apple Maps vehicles equipped with LiDAR sensors have begun collecting street-level data in Japan for the first time this month.

Apple will be surveying the Tokyo and Urayasu areas between June and October of this year, according to a new Apple Maps vehicles page created specifically for Japan, first spotted by Japanese blog Mac Otakara.

Japan is the 11th country where the vehicles are collecting data since the initiative began in 2015, alongside Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To date, Apple has periodically updated a list of locations where the vehicles will be collecting data on its U.S. website, including other countries, but Japan now has its own localized page, perhaps to satisfy local laws.

The verbiage on the page has suggested that Apple could be working on a feature similar to Google's Street View for Apple Maps:

Apple is driving vehicles around the world to collect data which will be used to improve Apple Maps. Some of this data will be published in future Apple Maps updates.

We are committed to protecting your privacy while collecting this data. For example, we will blur faces and license plates on collected images prior to publication.

In 2015, Mark Gurman reported that Apple planned to launch a 3D street view feature, based on a combination of its existing Flyover mode with street-level data. He also said the data would help Apple shift to an in-house mapping database by 2018, reducing its reliance on third-party sources like TomTom.

By the sound of it, Apple's mapping data could be used for advanced augmented reality applications, as part of a future update to ARKit.

Early speculation suggested the vehicles could be the basis of an Apple Car, but those rumors quieted down after the vans were labeled with Apple Maps decals, and because Apple has shifted towards testing self-driving software with Lexus 450h SUVs near its headquarters in California.

If you spot an Apple Maps vehicle in a location yet to be listed on Apple's website, be sure to let us know at tips@macrumors.com.

Microsoft has announced a new visual search feature for its Bing app that lets users snap a picture with their phone's camera and use it to search the web.

The new visual search function builds on the AI-powered intelligent search capabilities already used by Bing, and works pretty much like Google Lens: Users take a photo of something or upload one from their camera roll, and then the search engine identifies the object in question and offers additional information by providing links to explore.

The feature appears as an icon in the Bing app's search bar, and can be used to search for everything from landmarks to breeds of dog, but Microsoft is pushing it as a way to shop from photos for clothes and home furniture:

Let's say you see a friend's jacket you like, but don't know its brand or where to purchase. Upload a pic into the app's search box and Bing will return visually-similar jackets, prices, and details for where to purchase.

eBay today launched its latest sitewide coupon code, offering customers the chance to save $15 on orders that reach or exceed $75. The code isn't as enticing as eBay's previous sitewide sales, but could still give shoppers the chance to save money on a variety of items, excluding video game consoles, laptops and netbooks, coins and paper money, gift cards and coupons, and real estate.

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

Otherwise, those interested can shop throughout eBay, add items to their cart until it reaches $75, and checkout with the coupon code PSUPERSUMMER before 7:00 p.m. PT tonight, June 21. The code can only be used once and within a single transaction, and only eBay users registered with an address located in the United States, Canada, Latin America or the Caribbean can take part in the sale. Head to eBay's Daily Deals page and home page to start browsing before the sale ends in a few hours.

Gazelle has also kicked off a sitewide sale this week, allowing shoppers to take 10 percent off items across the site through June 24. Gazelle's storefront offers discounts on used iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and more, all inspected by the company and ensured to be working properly and backed by a 30 day return policy. Those interested can start shopping on Gazelle today and simply add any item into their shopping cart to see the 10 percent savings automatically applied during checkout.

In other deals, there are a few Beats discounts happening this week on Amazon. The company's official Amazon store has the BeatsX in Black for $89.99, down from $149.99, which has been a frequent sale price for the in-ear headphones.

More notable is a nice discount on the Beats Studio3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, marked down to $204.95 from $349.99 in Matte Black, White, and Blue. Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart have knocked down prices on the Studio3 Headphones to around $205-$220 in recent weeks, but Amazon's price is one of the lowest currently available online for the high-end headphones.

Below you can also find a few of the latest charging accessory promo code discounts offered by Anker and Choetech on Amazon:

Anker

• 5-in-1 USB C Hub (HDMI, 1-Gigabit Ethernet, 3 USB 3.0 Ports) - $44.99 with code ANKER833, down from $60.99 (exp. 6/23)

• Powerline+ Lightning Cable (10ft, all colors) - $12.59 with code ANKER823, down from $17.99 (exp. 6/30)

• USB C to USB 3.0 Adapter (Gray and Silver) - $7.49 with code ANKER875, down from $9.99 (exp. 6/30)

• Powerline+ Lightning Cable 6ft Without Pouch (Gray, Red) - $9.79 with code ANKER985, down from $13.99 (exp. 6/30)

• Powerline+ Lightning Cable 3ft Without Pouch (Gray, Red) - $8.39 with code ANKER985, down from $11.99 (exp. 6/30)

• ZOLO Halo Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Smart Speaker - $29.99 with code ZOLOHALO, down from $49.99 (exp. 6/30)

Choetech

• Qi-Certified Wireless Charger (Black) - $7.99 with promo code DT2XNIU7, down from $12.95
• 6-pack of USB-C to USB-A cables - $7.99 with code 9ARQ5ZD6, down from $12.99

For more details about this week's best discounts and offers, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup.

Facebook today announced it is expanding chat translation within Messenger to all users in the United States and Mexico.

When you receive a message in a language that is different from your default language in Messenger, Facebook's artificial intelligence assistant M will automatically offer a suggestion to translate the message. When you tap on the suggestion, you will be asked to enable auto-translation. Upon doing so, all future messages received that are not in your default language will be automatically translated.

"This is a meaningful milestone for M Suggestions and will enable people to connect with people they would not be able to communicate with otherwise in a way that is seamless and natural," a Messenger spokesperson said.

Auto-translation is enabled on a per-conversation basis, and all messages are shown in both the original language and translated version. You can opt-out of the feature at any time via the M Settings menu in Messenger, accessible by tapping your profile picture in the top-left corner of the app.

At launch, M can translate from English to Spanish, and vice versa. Facebook plans to add other languages and countries in the future.

Facebook first launched chat translation via M for users of its Marketplace service in the United States in early May. M Suggestions as a whole launched in April 2017, and are now available in 11 countries and five languages.

At its F8 developer conference last month, Facebook previewed an upcoming redesign of Messenger, including a simplified user interface, a dark mode, and customizable chat bubbles. At the time, the company said the facelift will be available "very, very soon," but as of now, the update has yet to be rolled out.

Apple is known to have looked at a similar implementation of Siri in iMessage as M in Messenger. A patent published in 2016 for a "virtual assistant in a communication session" depicts a scenario in which users can invoke Siri from within chat threads to get answers to relevant queries, complete scheduling tasks, and more.

Apple hasn't moved forward with the idea, but it did introduce Siri Shortcuts in iOS 12, enabling users to connect certain third-party apps to Siri to greatly streamline voice controls with app-specific actions.

Movie subscription service MoviePass today confirmed that it will soon introduce surge pricing into its business model, charging customers from $2 and up for films that the company deems popular. The news comes from MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe, who confirmed to Business Insider that surge pricing will affect monthly subscribers while annual subscribers will be exempt from what he describes as "high-demand" pricing.

The change will appear for affected subscribers within the "coming weeks," according to Lowe. Surge pricing is a dynamic, time-based strategy that apps like Uber use when a large amount of customers are requesting rides in the app but there aren't enough drivers to taxi them around.

Now this will extend to MoviePass, so on opening weekends or at particularly busy late-night showings of popular movies, monthly subscribers should expect to pay a bit more above their locked-in $9.95/month subscription price. Because this is not a fee that the movie theater is charging, users can expect MoviePass to take the surge pricing fee from the credit cards associated with their account -- although Lowe or any MoviePass spokesperson has yet to confirm this.

"At certain times for certain films — on opening weekend — there could be an additional charge for films," Lowe told Business Insider.

Lowe said this decision was a way to have its theaters partners see more traffic for big blockbusters in the mid-week and less-crowded weekends following the movie's opening weekend. It was also to "make sure that we can continue to offer a valuable service and support the whole enterprise," Lowe added.

Otherwise, there are two other additions coming to MoviePass this summer: a bring-a-friend feature and IMAX/3D screenings. In the MoviePass iOS and Android app, subscribers will be able to add on a ticket for a non-MoviePass friend, the cost of which will be "somewhere near the retail price of the ticket."

For IMAX and 3D movies, users will be given the option to pay an added fee for the premium screenings, ranging from $2-$6 according to Lowe. As of now, one of MoviePass' detriments is that it only allows subscribers to watch regular 2D movies. At launch subscribers will have to choose one of these features or the other for a single film, but eventually they will be able to combine premium and bring-a-friend options for the same movie.

The MoviePass news comes after AMC just yesterday revealed its own movie subscription service, which will let customers watch three movies per week for $19.95 a month -- including IMAX and RealD 3D showings. Lowe responded to this new rival service today as well:

"It's been tough when you have the president of AMC essentially for eight or nine months telling everybody that our subscription was not sustainable, and then he comes out with a program that essentially could cost him $60 or $80 a month to pay the studios their minimums and collecting $19.95," Lowe said, referring to AMC CEO Adam Aron. "So it is a little bit kind of funny that it's pretty clear what he wanted to do — clear the way for his own subscription program and not have competition."

All of the new MoviePass features -- including surge pricing -- will appear in the MoviePass app by the end of August.

Siri rival Google Assistant received a major update today across the Google Home speaker ecosystem with a feature Google revealed at I/O in May, called "Continued Conversation." Now, when you speak to Google Assistant and wake it up with a "Hey Google" or "OK Google" phrase, you don't need to repeat the phrase again for a follow-up request.

For example, you can ask "Hey Google, what's the weather today?", and then follow up with "And what about tomorrow?" or "Can you remind me to bring an umbrella tomorrow morning?" When your thread of requests is finished, Google explains that you can say "thank you" or "stop" to end the conversation, but Google Assistant will also do this automatically if it detects you're no longer talking to it.

Continued Conversations will need to be turned on in the Google Assistant app's Settings > Preferences > Continued Conversation. When starting up a new conversation you'll still need to say "OK Google" or activate a physical trigger every time, but the company hopes that reducing the instances you need to speak a wake-up phrase will result in more fluid and natural interactions with Google Assistant.

In comparison, Apple's Siri still requires you to say "Hey Siri" every time a command is given, or by activating the AI assistant manually on iPhone or HomePod. Later this year, Apple will debut improvements to Siri in iOS 12 in the form of a new "Siri Shortcuts" feature, allowing iPhone owners to build customizable workflows and connect a variety of third-party apps and services under one voice command.

Siri remains one of the downsides for Apple's products for some users, with a recent survey finding that iPhone X early adopters were very satisfied with all features of the smartphone except Siri. Around the time of that survey, The Information reported that Siri has become a "major problem" within Apple and that the assistant remains "limited compared to the competition," including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.