MacRumors

Popular and well-known iOS weather app AccuWeather has been caught collecting and sharing user location data even when location sharing permissions are turned off, according to a blog post recently shared by security researcher Will Strafach.

According to Strafach, AccuWeather was partnering with data monetization firm Reveal Mobile to collect GPS coordinates, including speed and altitude, the name and BSSID of a user's Wi-Fi router, and whether a device has Bluetooth on and off, all of which was available to Reveal Mobile when location services were enabled.

With location services disabled, AccuWeather was still sending the Wi-Fi router name and BSSID, which still offered Reveal Mobile location data.

During a testing period of 36 hours, specifically while the AccuWeather application was not in the foreground, my test iPhone (located on a desk in an office building) sent the above information to RevealMobile a total of 16 times, occuring roughly once every few hours.

Reval Mobile is a firm that uses location data to gather information on a user's home, work, and frequently visited locations, pairing that data with demographic targeting criteria to allow retailers to deliver targeted ads. From the company's website:

By expanding the use case of location data to pre- and post-shopping experiences, entirely new possibilities open up for online and offline retailers. The value lies in understanding the path of a consumer and where they go throughout the day. Traveling from home to work to retail to soccer practice to dinner is vital to knowing the customer, and represents the new opportunity of mobile location data.

In response to Strafach's blog post, Reveal Mobile says the data it collects is anonymized and grouped into audience segments. "We offer no product or service that permits anyone to see an individual device's location data," reads a statement on the Reveal Mobile website. The company also says it does not reverse engineer a device's location when location sharing is turned off.

We do not attempt to reverse engineer a device's location based upon other data signals like Bluetooth when location services are disabled. In looking at our current SDK's behavior, we see how that can be misconstrued. In response to that, we're releasing a new version of our SDK which will no longer send any data points which could be used to infer location when someone opts out of location sharing. We do collect IP address, but do not use this data to determine location, as covered in our privacy policy.

AccuWeather vice president of emerging platforms David Mitchell told ZDNet that AccuWeather will use data through Reveal Mobile for "audience segmentation and analysis, to build a greater audience understanding and create more contextually relevant and helpful experiences for users and for advertiser."

Following Strafach's discovery, many people have been uninstalling the AccuWeather app, and given the wealth of weather apps available in the App Store, this is not surprising. AccuWeather does not apparently have plans to end its relationship with Reveal Mobile, so users may want to find another weather app.

Update: AccuWeather and Reveal Mobile have provided a joint statement on the issue:

Despite stories to the contrary from sources not connected to the actual information, if a user opts out of location tracking on AccuWeather, no GPS coordinates are collected or passed without further opt-in permission from the user.

Other data, such as Wi-Fi network information that is not user information, was for a short period available on the Reveal SDK, but was unused by AccuWeather. In fact, AccuWeather was unaware the data was available to it. Accordingly, at no point was the data used by AccuWeather for any purpose.

AccuWeather and Reveal Mobile are committed to following the standards and best practices of the industry. We also recognize this is a quickly evolving field and what is best practice one day may change the next. Accordingly, we work to update our practices regularly.

To avoid any further misinterpretation, Reveal is updating its SDK and pushing out new versions of the SDK in the next 24 hours, with the iOS update going live tonight. The end result should be that zero data is transmitted back to Reveal Mobile when someone opts out of location sharing. In the meanwhile, AccuWeather had already disabled the SDK, pending that update.

Reveal has stated that the SDK could be misconstrued, and they assure that no reverse engineering of locations was ever conducted by any information they gathered, nor was that the intent.

AccuWeather will work with Reveal to restore the SDK when it has been amended and will continue to update its ULAs to be transparent and current with evolving standards. AccuWeather and Reveal continue to enhance methods for handling data and strive to provide superior, seamless, and secure user experiences.

We are grateful to have a supportive community that highlights areas where we can optimize and be more transparent.

Update 2: AccuWeather has updated its app to remove the Reveal Mobile SDK.

Almost one month after the HomePod's firmware first began revealing tidbits about Apple's upcoming smart speaker, the iPhone 8, and even the Apple Watch Series 3, today iHelp BR has a few more pieces of information on the setup process for the HomePod. Interestingly, the site noted that the data doesn't come from HomePod firmware, but was discovered within the seventh iOS 11 beta, seeded to developers yesterday.

The new details suggest in broad strokes what users can expect when they first open their HomePod and sync it with an iPhone. Although HomePod lacks a W1 chip, the speaker will connect and pair with iOS devices in some capacity, and one new image discovered within the iOS 11 developer beta shows off a user interface similar to that of the AirPods pairing screen.

According to some images that we find in the internal files of the system, the pairing of the HomePod (codename B238) will be very similar to the AirPods wireless headphones. When you turn on the sound box for the first time, iOS will ask the user if they want to perform the setup with that iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It will not be possible to set up a HomePod for Mac or Apple TV - although it is very likely that the device will work normally with them later.

The next screen that appears on iOS references a HomePod setup process similar to the initial setup of an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, with the major difference being that "Siri must be present in almost the entire process." At one point, a string of code suggests that Siri will read out a four digit code to the user, which is then entered on the paired iOS device as a form of authentication.

A similar string mentions that users will need to enter the last four digits of the HomePod's serial number, or the iOS device's serial number, although some of these processes might be tied to repeatedly failed setup attempts as a form of security.

Users will need to confirm their Apple ID in order to sync iCloud and Apple Music with HomePod, and in addition the new data said that Apple accounts without two-factor authentication or iCloud Keychain enabled will not be able to complete some steps in the pairing process. The iOS 11 code strings also mention that "you must be connected to a WPA/WPA2 Personal Wi-Fi network to set up your HomePod."

On HomePod, users will be able to choose the accent of Siri and the gender of the voice assistant, agree or disagree to send daily diagnostics to Apple, and agree to install updates manually or automatically through an iOS device. The code describes an ability for users to sync multiple HomePods in one house to save all of these settings across speakers, and even an "update all HomePods" and "install on all HomePods" feature to cut down the time of the update process for multi-HomePod households.

In other, more expected findings, the code strings mention that any songs, albums, and artists played through HomePod will be seen by a user's followers on Apple Music and influence the recommendations in "For You." Additionally, the HomePod's touch-sensitive display area on the top of the device will allow for various volume and playback controls, including VoiceOver-enabled controls like "touch to speak," "lift to activate," and "hold on volume controls to change quickly."

Previously, the HomePod firmware revealed a few UI sounds that users will likely hear during the pairing process, as well as some potential timer-related notifications. A recent comment by Inventec Appliances president David Ho -- supplier of the HomePod -- has suggested that the device will see a limited launch in December of around 500,000 units, before expanding in 2018 thanks to the addition of Foxconn to the speaker's supply chain.

Update: Developer Guilherme Rambo has shared a video on Twitter that displays the setup process for the HomePod using an iPhone. There's an option to choose a Siri voice followed by an authentication process, an option to share settings from other devices, and a menu to select the room where the HomePod is located.

Update 9/5: Rambo has discovered another tidbit about the HomePod's setup, which suggests that the speaker will be able to pair with an iPhone through audio sounds.

Verizon today split its unlimited talk, text, and data plan into three tiers: Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Business Unlimited. The plans go into effect for new customers starting Wednesday, August 23.

Go Unlimited starts at $75 per month, which is $5 cheaper than the original Verizon Unlimited plan introduced in February. However, while Verizon Unlimited allowed for full HD video streaming, video quality on Go Unlimited is forcibly throttled to 480p, which Verizon and many other carriers refer to as DVD quality.

Go Unlimited customers can also experience reduced speeds if the network is congested at any time, rather than only after exceeding 22GB of data usage in a billing cycle. And while Mobile Hotspot is unlimited, tethering speeds are capped at a maximum of 600kbps from the very first kilobyte of usage.

The original Verizon Unlimited plan allows tethering at 4G LTE speeds for the first 10GB of data, with speeds reduced to 3G afterwards.

Beyond Unlimited starts at $85 per month, which is $5 more expensive than Verizon Unlimited. The plan includes unlimited tethering with the first 15GB of data at 4G LTE speeds, up from 10GB, but video quality is forcibly throttled to 720p quality on smartphones and 1080p quality on tablets.

Beyond Unlimited customers could experience reduced speeds at times of network congestion once they exceed 22GB in a billing cycle, in line with the original unlimited plan. Verizon increases that limit to 25GB for customers who sign a two-year contract when purchasing a new device.

Business Unlimited is designed for four or more lines and starts at $45/month/line. Each line could experience reduced speeds at times of network congestion after exceeding 22GB in a billing cycle, and video quality is throttled to 480p. Unlimited tethering is included with 4G LTE speeds for the first 10GB of data.

AutoPay and paperless billing must be enabled for all of the prices listed above, or else each plan costs $5 extra per month.

Verizon told The Verge that existing customers will be able to keep their current plan — including legacy ones. As a bonus, for existing customers on the original Verizon Unlimited plan introduced in February, Verizon is increasing the allowance for 4G LTE speeds while tethering from 10GB to 15GB at no charge.

However, the biggest kicker is that Verizon says, moving forward, HD video on all legacy plans will match Beyond Unlimited's HD quality. In other words, even grandfathered customers will soon be limited to video quality of 720p on smartphones and 1080p on tablets, which is sure to elicit some frustration.

"We're doing this to ensure all customers have a great experience on our network since there is no visible difference in quality on a smartphone or tablet when video is shown at higher resolutions," a Verizon spokesperson said.

As for the increased prices, Verizon says its unlimited data plan from February was an "introductory" price that was bound to increase eventually.

VMware today announced the upcoming release of VMware Fusion 10, its popular virtualization software for Mac.

VMware Fusion 10 includes full compatibility with macOS High Sierra, integration with the Touch Bar on the latest MacBook Pro models, and support for Apple's Metal 2 graphics acceleration technology for improved graphics performance, power efficiency, and accuracy of rendering.

Fusion 10 also features a redesigned user interface, including improved Installation and Migrate Your PC wizards.

Fusion 10 can run hundreds of operating systems, ranging from the latest Windows 10 versions to lesser-known Linux distributions. It will be able to run the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update expected to launch in October.

VMware will also be releasing Fusion 10 Pro, targeted at IT professionals and developers. The premium version features enhanced vSphere and networking controls, support for REST APIs, integration with VMware PhotonOS, and support for Microsoft's new virtualization-based security features such as Credential Guard.

VMware Fusion 10 and Fusion 10 Pro are expected to be available in October for $79 and $159 respectively. Fusion 8.5 customers will be able to upgrade to Fusion 10 for $49 or Fusion 10 Pro for $119.

Additionally, customers who purchase Fusion 8.5 or Fusion 8.5 Pro between August 22 and November 1 this year will be eligible for an upgrade to Fusion 10 or Fusion 10 Pro, respectively, at no additional cost.

Fusion 10 will be accompanied by Workstation 14 Player and Workstation 14 Pro with enhanced data center management capabilities.

Continuing a running theme over the last couple of weeks, a photo emerged online late on Monday of an alleged leaked 3D sensing camera module destined for the upcoming "iPhone 8" (via Slashleaks). Apple is said to have radically revamped its front-facing camera for its OLED iPhone, adding 3D sensing capabilities for facial recognition.

Notable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has called the camera "revolutionary" because it consists of three modules: a standard camera front-facing camera module, an infrared transmitting module, and an infrared receiving module, all of which will allow the iPhone 8 to perform 3D sensing and modeling functions.

It's also possible that the front-facing camera will support 4K video recording at 60 frames per second, based on code found in the HomePod firmware leak, although this feature could be limited to the rear camera.

As with previous alleged leaked parts – which have included an A11 processor, wireless charging pad components, and an OLED display assembly and flex power cables - it's difficult to gauge the authenticity of the photo. However, it's not unusual for them to crop up in the weeks leading up to an iPhone launch.

In a separate and more dubious alleged leak, a video clip emerged on Tuesday on Chinese microblogging site Weibo showing what appears to be an Apple-branded handset with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor going through a quality control process.

Strong consensus has built in recent months around the idea that Apple is eliminating Touch ID fingerprint recognition entirely in favor of a new authentication system based on facial recognition – as per the 3D sensing camera module above.

The prediction has been made by the reliable Kuo and echoed by JP Morgan analysts as well as Bloomberg, while Apple itself has confirmed that a facial recognition system is in the works, reflected in multiple references found in the leaked HomePod firmware. Given the weight of evidence suggesting the end of Touch ID for future iPhones, it's very likely this video shows a quality control stage for a knock-off clone iPhone destined for the Chinese market.

Expected to launch in early September, the "iPhone 8" – which could take a different name – is thought to feature a glass body and edge-to-edge OLED display that does away with the Home button. The new OLED iPhone will likely be sold alongside upgraded (but standard) 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones with LCD screens.

Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac got its official release on Tuesday. The thirteenth version of the Windows virtualization software comes with numerous new features including support for macOS High Sierra and the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Top of the features list is Touch Bar support, enabling owners of compatible MacBook Pros to use the OLED strip with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as additional integration for the Windows Start Menu and Desktop, including Cortana, Task View, and Taskbar pinned elements. A Touch Bar Wizard also allows users to customize the Touch Bar and add their favorite Windows applications.

New dynamic resolution support mean users can change the window size of their Windows session, with booting and rebooting speed said to be faster and smoother as a result. Meanwhile, enhanced support for Retina displays should see better scaling of Windows applications on Mac screens.

A new Picture-in-Picture mode aims to let users monitor their virtual machine with ease, while support for the upcoming Windows 10 People Bar promises to allow users to view recent contacts in the Windows Taskbar or Mac Dock.

More generally, Parallels claims over 47 percent faster access to Windows files and documents compared to the previous version, faster file transfers over USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt SSD devices, and up to 32 vCPU and 128GB vRAM per virtual machine with Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition, with code for all new versions optimized for macOS High Sierra (10.13) and Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Elsewhere, Parallels claims over 30 new additional tools can be found in version 13 that simplify everyday tasks on Mac and Windows. They include a drive cleaner, video conversion, a file archiver, a GIF creator, a video downloader, Do Not Sleep and Do Not Disturb modes, a Lock Screen, and the ability to temporarily hide files on the desktop, amongst many others.

Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac costs $79.99 for a new license. Existing users of Parallels Desktop for Home and Student can upgrade to V13 for $49.99, with a time-limited offer enabling users of the Desktop Pro Edition to upgrade for the same price (usually $99.99). For more pricing details, see the Parallels website.

(Thanks, Ulric!)

A pair of videos that appear to depict prototype iOS 11 features have been found "deep within the iOS 11 beta image" by developer Guilherme Rambo, who has recently become known for digging deep into iOS code to suss out upcoming features.

According to Rambo, the files were created in May, suggesting they depict iOS 11 iPhone functionality that was scrapped rather than functionality that has not yet been implemented, but there's technically no way to tell.

In the first 13 second video, the Lock screen is demonstrated. The implementation of the Lock screen is similar the current iOS 11 implementation, but there are small changes.

While a swipe downwards pulls down the Lock screen cover and a swipe left opens up the widget view, a swipe right brings up the Control Center. In the current incarnation of iOS 11, a right swipe brings up the camera and not the Control Center.

The second video shows a different implementation of the App Switcher. Instead of double tapping on the Home button, the App Switcher is accessed through a swipe upwards on the Home screen, the gesture used for Control Center. Control Center remains accessible as an app at the right side of the screen, though.

In the current version of iOS 11, an upwards swipe on the Home screen brings up the Control center and not the App Switcher, but the video is reminiscent of the way App Switcher works on an iPad. On the iPad, an upwards swipe on the Home screen brings up the dock, while a longer swipe brings up the App Switcher with access to Control Center.

It's possible Apple originally planned to mimic the iPad App Switcher functionality on the iPhone, but later decided against it for a more familiar set of gestures. It's also possible, though, that the videos offer up a look at how iOS 11 will work once the iPhone 8 is released, since it has no Home button.

If there are any significant changes to the way iOS 11 is used on the upcoming iPhone 8, we'll know soon enough. We're expecting Apple to introduce the new iPhone in September, and if past event dates are any indication, we have just two to three weeks to wait.