In 2011, a class action lawsuit filed against Apple accused the company of operating an illegal monopoly by not allowing iPhone users to download mobile apps outside of its own App Store, reducing consumer choice.
The antitrust case was eventually dismissed in 2013 by a U.S. district court in Northern California, due to errors in the complaint, leading to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit allowing it to proceed in 2017.
That decision led to Apple's petition for a writ of certiorari, which was granted today, meaning that the U.S. Supreme Court will now review the appeals court's decision to reinstate the case last year, according to Reuters.
From the start, Apple has argued that it doesn't set prices for paid apps, and that charging a 30 percent commission on the distribution of paid apps and in-app purchases does not violate antitrust laws in the United States.
Apple will now hope the Supreme Court agrees that the case should be dismissed again. No date has been disclosed for the hearing.
Two years after its release in the summer of 2016, Pokémon Go will officially add Pokémon trading between friends within the app later this week. The feature is coming via a new "Friends" area, allowing players to connect to real-life friends and trade Pokémon, keep track of their status in the game, and send them items and gifts.
Friends will now get "Trainer Codes" to share with one another, which can be entered to become friends in the app. Once you're friends with someone there are multiple actions you can perform to increase your Friendship Level, like sending them gifts or participating in raids and gym battles with them. As this level grows, bonuses can be unlocked when you play together, so "Great Friends" can gain in-battle advantages, like attack bonuses.
Friendship Levels can be increased once per day per friend, and the new friend-based mechanics lead into the game's trading system. If you are near your friend (within 100 meters) and have reached a Trainer Level of 10 or higher, the game will let you trade Pokémon that you've caught. Trades cost Stardust, and Niantic says that once your Friendship Level increases players will be able to complete trades "with much less Stardust."
Special Pokémon like a legendary, shiny, or any Pokémon not in your Pokédex will have their own "Special Trade" rules: they can only occur once per day with a Great Friend or Best Friend, and cost "a lot of Stardust." Every trade also earns players bonus candy for the Pokémon that has been traded away, and the amount of candy increases if the Pokémon being traded were captured in regions far apart from each other.
Pokémon trading was one of the missing features of Pokémon Go that players asked for after the game launched in July 2016. Months later in early 2017, Niantic CEO John Hanke said that trading would be coming "soon." Speaking with The Verge, Niantic software engineer Kirsten Koa explained that the nearby trading mechanic has been a focus of development since the game launched: "We wanted to make sure we got this right... It took two years for us to build that feature — that's how hard it was."
Apple today announced that, starting later this year with iOS 12, iPhones will automatically share precise location data with first responders during 911 calls in the United States, helping to reduce emergency response times.
The new functionality will be powered by RapidSOS's IP-based data pipeline, which will quickly and securely provide 911 call centers with Hybridized Emergency Location data, which is determined based on proximity to cell towers and Wi-Fi access points, and on-device data sources like assisted GPS.
Apple said the location data will only be used for emergency purposes, and only accessible to responding dispatch centers during 911 calls.
"Communities rely on 911 centers in an emergency, and we believe they should have the best available technology at their disposal," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a prepared statement. "When every moment counts, these tools will help first responders reach our customers when they most need assistance."
The current 911 system, developed by AT&T in the 1960s, was intended for landline phones, which have fixed addresses. Apple notes that approximately 80 percent of 911 calls today come from mobile devices, however, and most dispatching systems can only obtain their estimated location based on cell towers.
RapidSOS's system, which will be integrated with existing software at 911 centers, should help solve this problem. The modern technology is part of a broader initiative known as Next Generation 911.
"911 telecommunicators do extraordinary work managing millions of emergencies with little more than a voice connection," said RapidSOS CEO Michael Martin. "We are excited to work with Apple to provide first responders a new path for accurate, device-based caller location using transformative Next Generation 911 technology."
As many as 10,000 lives could be saved each year if 911 emergency dispatchers were able to get to callers just one minute faster, according to the FCC. Whether someone is experiencing cardiac arrest, or a house is on a fire, it is obviously critical for first responders to arrive as quickly as possible.
"This new functionality is an example of how companies and first responders can use technology to dramatically improve public safety," said former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. "Lives will be saved thanks to this effort by Apple and RapidSOS."
The feature is somewhat similar to Advanced Mobile Location, implemented in iOS 11.3 in a handful of European countries.
Advanced Mobile Location recognizes when an emergency call is made and, if not already activated, activates an iPhone's GPS or Wi-Fi to collect the caller's precise location information. The device then sends an automatic SMS to the emergency services with the caller's location, before turning the GPS off again.
Advanced Mobile Location must be supported by carriers. As of earlier this year, the service was fully operational in many European countries, including the United Kingdom, Estonia, Lithuania, Austria, and Iceland, as well as New Zealand.
Apple says the RapidSOS functionality will be limited to the iPhone for now, ruling out the Apple Watch and other devices at launch.
Apple's announcement coincides with the annual NENA Conference & Expo in Nashville this week, focused on the future of the 911 system.
"It can be hard in an emergency to know exactly where you are, and if you’re not on a landline, our first responders can't always help. This upgrade will save lives by giving our 911 dispatchers, police, firefighters and paramedics the thing they need the most: time," said Nashville Mayor David Briley.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been spending the weekend in Amsterdam, where he met historian Koen Kleijn and iPhone photographer Annet de Graaf.
The Apple chief tweeted on Sunday about his appreciation for the city's "rich history and creative energy" during the meeting, which took place an open-top boat as it cruised along the capital's famous canals.
Spending Sunday afternoon on the canals of Amsterdam with historian Koen Kleijn and iPhone photographer Annet de Graaf, “The Eye of Amsterdam” (IG: snapthecity). Love the rich history and creative energy of this city. Fijn om terug te zijn! 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/ieFFVguKWw
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 17, 2018
Kleijn has written or co-written several books on the history of Amsterdam and architecture in the Netherlands, while de Graaf has made a name for herself by capturing scenes of Amsterdam street life using her smartphone's camera. As de Graaf puts it on her website:
The iPhone way of photography is pure. I can capture moments before they pass; I 'own' the Amsterdam streets with my iPhone for nearly 9 years now. I never use any other camera. Amsterdam is hiding stories, like a miraculous book, I simply reveal the pages with my lens.
While we don't know what else is on Cook's agenda for the rest of the trip, a visit to the local Apple retail store is likely to be on the cards. We'll update this article when we know more.
Update: Cook tweeted again on Monday, sharing details about his travels to The Netherlands where he met with developers from Lucky Kat Studios.
Nearly five months after the HomePod launched in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, Apple today expanded availability of the Siri-enabled speaker to customers in Canada, France, and Germany.
HomePod is available in white and space gray for $449 in Canada and €349 in Germany and France via Apple's online store and the Apple Store app for iPhone and iPad. It's also available at Apple's retail stores in each country, and at select authorized resellers, including Best Buy in Canada.
Apple recently pushed a software update to the HomePod that enables Siri to speak in French, German, and Canadian English. Apple's website notes that support for Canadian French is coming later this year.
The software update, paired with iOS 11.4, also introduced support for stereo sound and multi-room audio via AirPlay 2. It also enables users to check calendar appointments on the HomePod by asking Siri.
HomePods could already be used abroad in countries outside of the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, but Siri's language options were limited to American, Australian, and British dialects of English, and certain features like Siri's ability to read the news or play music charts were lacking.
While the HomePod has received rave reviews about its sound quality, critics believe the speaker has exposed Siri's shortcomings. Siri Shortcuts should help in that regard, enabling users to connect certain third-party apps to Siri to greatly streamline voice controls with app-specific actions.
Rogue Amoeba developer Quentin Carnicelli, who works on Mac software like Airfoil, Audio Hijack, Loopback, and Fission, this week penned a critique of Apple's Mac lineup and the company's recent lack of Mac updates, and that missive has been gaining some attention from Mac fans.
Using MacRumors' own Buyer's Guide, Carnicelli points out that it's been more than a year since any Mac, with the exception of the iMac Pro, has been updated.
It's been 375 days, for example, since the iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air machines were last updated, and it's been 437 days since the Mac Pro saw the price drop Apple implemented as it works on a Mac Pro replacement.
The Mac Pro has not seen a hardware update since December of 2013, more than 1600 days ago. Apple has promised its professional users that a high-end high-throughput modular Mac Pro system is in the works, but we thus far have no details on when it might see a release.
The Mac mini, Apple's most affordable desktop Mac, has gone 1338 days without an update, with the last refresh introduced in October of 2014. While Apple has made promises about a refreshed Mac Pro, no similar statement has been provided about a future Mac mini, aside from a comment from Apple CEO Tim Cook stating that the Mac mini continues to be important to Apple.
According to Carnicelli, the state of the Mac lineup is "deeply worrisome" to him as a person who works for a Mac-based software company. Customers are, he says, forced to choose between "purchasing new computers that are actually years old" or "holding out in the faint hope that hardware updates are still to come."
It's very difficult to recommend much from the current crop of Macs to customers, and that's deeply worrisome to us, as a Mac-based software company. For our own internal needs, we've wound up purchasing used hardware for testing, rather than opting to compromise heavily on a new machine. That isn't good for Apple, nor is it what we want.
As Carnicelli points out, Apple could reassure its Mac users with updates and speed bumps to its Mac lineup on a "much more frequent basis," calling the current lack of updates "baffling and frightening to anyone who depends on the platform for their livelihood."
Apple in 2017 refreshed much of its Mac lineup (iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook) at its Worldwide Developers Conference, but this year, Apple opted to focus instead on software, with no new Mac hardware announced. With no new hardware in June, based on past release history, we could be looking at an 18-month upgrade cycle this time around, as pointed out by iMore's Rene Ritchie, with new Macs making an appearance in September or October.
Some of the blame for Apple's lack of updates can perhaps be placed on its reliance on Intel, and in the past, some Mac refreshes have been pushed back due to delays with Intel chips. This is likely one of the reasons why Apple is planning to transition from Intel chips to its own custom made Mac chips as early as 2020.
MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, and MacBook Air upgrades are not in the dire state that Mac Pro and Mac mini upgrades are in, but increased attention on issues with the MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards has left Apple customers eager to see those machine updated, especially as Apple has not acknowledged these keyboard issues despite their prevalence in the media.
"Apple needs to publicly show their commitment to the full Macintosh hardware line and they need to do it now," writes Carnicelli.
Carnicelli's comments on the state of the Mac lineup came just before Apple released a new Mac advertising campaign. Called "Behind the Mac," the campaign highlights creators who use their Macs to "make something wonderful."
The first ad spots in the series focus on photographer and disability advocate Bruce Hall, who uses his Mac for editing photographs, musician Grimes, who uses the Mac "from start to finish" to write all of her music, edit music videos, and more, and app developer Peter Kariuki who used his Mac to code the SafeMotos app, which is designed to connect passengers with safe motorcycle drivers in Rwanda.
These ads, while inspiring, may be seen as too little too late by those who have grown frustrated with Apple's Mac lineup and have come to see the lack of updates as an indicator of a lack of commitment to the Mac.
AT&T has launched a new Father's Day deal for the next few days, offering new and existing customers who purchase an iPhone X as an upgrade or a new line a second iPhone X at no additional cost as long as it's for a new line.
Customers will need to finance both iPhone X devices via AT&T Next 30 or AT&T Next Every Year, but within three billing cycles they will begin receiving bill credits totaling up to $999.99 spread out over 30 months. Tax on the full cost of both phones is due at the time of purchase, and the deal runs through June 19.
AT&T's product pages aren't yet reflecting the full $999.99 promo for the iPhone X, but the deal is live and will be applied at the end of the checkout process.
As always, head over to our Deals Roundup for all of the latest sales and bargains.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with AT&T. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a payment which helps us keep the site running.
Apple has hired Jaime Waydo, an autonomous vehicle expert who previously worked as a senior engineer at Google's Waymo, reports The Information. An Apple spokesperson confirmed the hiring, but declined to provide details on what she would be working on.
Waydo, who served as head of systems engineering at Waymo, was "instrumental," according to former colleagues that spoke to The Information. She was in charge of verifying the safety of Waymo's prototypes and provided input on when it was safe enough to launch on-the-road tests in Phoenix in 2016.
Prior to working at Waymo, Waydo was a senior engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for more than a decade, where she helped develop a rover vehicle that has driven on Mars.
The Information speculates that Apple's hiring of Waydo could indicate that it is making progress towards launching a prototype vehicle, but the report also says that the car project continues to suffer from a "lack of communication among teams."
In May, Apple signed a deal with Volkswagen to use Volkswagen vans for its on-campus shuttle program called "PAIL," which is designed to transport employees around its various campuses and office buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Volkswagens will be autonomous, powered by Apple's self-driving software.
Apple's self-driving shuttle program has been described as behind schedule and "consuming nearly all of the car team's attention," with the company having no clear idea of what it will do with the autonomous driving project beyond the shuttle efforts.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Choetech to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Qi-enabled 7.5W Wireless Charging Pad for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus.
Choetech's Wireless Charging Pad is affordably priced at $17.99, and is cheaper than other 7.5W solutions on the market. Choetech says the Charging Pad will charge the iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and future wireless iPhones at the faster 7.5W charging speeds.
For some Android devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy series, the Wireless Charging Pad can deliver up to 10W of power. For other devices, it will charge at 5W.
The Wireless Charging Pad is a slim, unassuming charger that fits into any decor with its simple design. It includes an anti-slip rubber design at the top to keep the iPhone in place when it's charging, and it's small enough to fit comfortably on any desktop or nightstand.
You'll need a micro-USB cable to power the Wireless Charging Pad, which is included in the box, and a power adapter, not included, is also required. A green light on the charger lets you know when the iPhone is situated correctly and receiving power.
We have 30 of these chargers to give away to MacRumors readers, and Choetech has also provided us with a 50% discount code so you can purchase it on the cheap at Amazon if you don't win. Just add the code MACHOE50 when checking out.
To enter to win the 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, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook 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 (June 15) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 22. The winners will be chosen randomly on June 22 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Apple has formed a multi-year production partnership with Oprah Winfrey to create shows for a new video subscription service that is in the works, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Apple and Winfrey did not share details on the kind of content that she plans to create, but in a statement, Apple said it would team up with Winfrey to "create original programs."
Apple today announced a unique, multi-year content partnership with Oprah Winfrey, the esteemed producer, actress, talk show host, philanthropist and CEO of OWN.
Together, Winfrey and Apple will create original programs that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world.
Winfrey's projects will be released as part of a lineup of original content from Apple.
Apple has signed deals for dozens of original television shows, ranging from ranging from science fiction series "Amazing Stories" to podcast-based drama series "Are You Sleeping" to cartoon series "Central Park." A full list of Apple's TV shows can be found in our Apple TV roundup.
The first of Apple's television shows may debut as early as 2019 and while Apple has not clarified how the shows will be distributed, today's report from The Wall Street Journal suggests Apple is working on a streaming video service to deliver its content.
Apple is widely rumored to introduce three new iPhone models in September, including a second-generation iPhone X, a larger version dubbed the iPhone X Plus, and a lower-priced but lesser-featured version.
Given the iPhone X Plus is expected to have an OLED display, like the iPhone X, it would be reasonable to assume that the majority of iPhones that Apple plans to manufacture in 2018 will be of the OLED variety. According to The Wall Street Journal, however, that might not be how things play out.
The report cites sources involved with Apple's supply chain who claim that Apple now expects LCD models to make up the majority of iPhone sales in its upcoming lineup, expected to be released this fall.
Apple initially wanted roughly equal production of iPhone models with LCDs and OLED displays, but now plans to make more of the LCD model, referring to the rumored lower-priced, lesser-featured 6.1-inch iPhone, as it supposedly anticipates strong customer demand for the more affordable X-like model.
It's not entirely clear if "LCD models" will include iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone SE models, which will likely remain for sale alongside the 2018 iPhones, and would certainly help tip the scale towards LCD.
The Wall Street Journal says Apple's plans are a "sign of consumers' sensitivity to the price of smartphones," citing analysts who believe demand was weaker than their initial forecasts for the iPhone X "due mainly to its price tag." The flagship device is priced from $999 in the United States.
The report adds that Apple will likely retain at least one lower-priced, LCD-based iPhone in its 2019 lineup too, rather than shift entirely to OLED, to ensure customers have an affordable option to choose from.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, now with research firm TF International Securities, expects the next iPhone X to start at $800-$900, the so-called iPhone X Plus to start at $900-$1,000, and the 6.1-inch iPhone to start at $600-$700 in the United States, with orders for all three beginning in September.
Kuo has previously said the 6.1-inch iPhone will have a nearly edge to edge display, with a notch for Face ID, but with tradeoffs, including an LCD instead of OLED display, an aluminum frame rather than stainless steel, no 3D Touch, and a single-lens rather than dual-lens rear camera system.
If accurate, many customers may indeed opt for what is essentially a budget iPhone X, with a $300 to $400 cheaper price tag. That doesn't mean the current iPhone X was too expensive, though, as in February, Apple said it was the "top selling iPhone" every week since it launched in early November.
Danalock today announced that the HomeKit version of its Danalock V3 smart lock is now available for purchase from Apple's website and retail stores in more than 20 other countries across Europe, after limited availability in April.
Danalock V3 is said to be the first and only retrofit smart lock compatible with Apple's HomeKit platform and Home app in Europe. Like the August Smart Lock, it is mounted on the inside of the door, enabling users to use a regular key for locking and unlocking the door from the outside if needed.
HomeKit support means users can control the lock with Siri voice commands or the Home app using an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, without needing a physical key. Through the Home app, it's also possible to give keyless access to family members.
For added convenience, users can connect the Danalock with other HomeKit accessories, such as cameras, lights, thermostats, switches, and security systems.
Apple's online store notes that the Danalock V3 is easy to install and globally compatible, with an adjustable cylinder set included in the box in countries outside of Scandinavia. It is battery powered and uses advanced AES-256 encryption.
Danalock V3 with HomeKit is available at select Apple retail stores in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. It's also available on Apple's online store in more than 20 countries in Europe and on Danalock's website.
Pricing: £219.95 in the United Kingdom and €249.95 in most other European countries.
If you are attempting to navigate with Apple Maps right now, you may be unable to do so, as the service appears to be experiencing downtime.
"Directions Not Available," the app says, when attempting to search for or navigate to destinations. "Route information is not available at this moment."
The issue appears to be widespread, with many users reporting that Apple Maps is down across the United States, Canada, and other countries. The outage affects all platforms with Apple Maps, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and CarPlay.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users can simply use an alternative such as Google Maps or Waze in the meantime, but CarPlay doesn't currently support third-party mapping apps, something that is changing with iOS 12.
Apple has yet to update its system status page to reflect any issues. We'll update this article if that changes or when the issues are resolved.
Update 8:18 AM: Apple has now acknowledged and is "investigating" ongoing issues with Maps Search and Routing & Navigation, according to its system status page. Apple says "all users are affected."
Update 10:13 AM: Directions appear to now be working in Maps, although Apple has yet to update its status page to confirm the issues have been resolved.
Update 10:28 AM: Apple has updated its status page to note the issues have been resolved as of 10:05 AM Pacific Time.
Ahead of the HomePod launching in Canada, France, and Germany in three days from now, the speaker has gained the ability to read the news in those countries.
Siri can now provide news briefs from a handful of sources in Canada, for example, including CBC, Global TV, CTV, and CNN. To start, say "Hey Siri" and then say something like "read me the news" or "what's the news today?"
MacRumors reader Pedro Marques, who lives in Toronto, Canada, shared a demonstration of the feature with us today:
Meanwhile, in Germany, the same functionality works with sources such as public broadcasting radio station Deutschlandfunk, according to MacRumors reader Marco.
Apple previously announced that HomePod sales will begin in Canada, Germany, and France on Monday, June 18. The speaker will be available to order in white and space gray through Apple's online store, retail stores, and the Apple Store app on iPhone and iPad, and at select authorized resellers, including Best Buy.
The speaker will be priced at $449 in Canada, and €349 in Germany and France, according to Apple's online store.
HomePod first launched in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia in February. Canadians, of course, could simply drive south of the border, purchase a HomePod in the United States, and bring it back to Canada, where it worked fine, beyond a few features like news that are now being added.
In related news, Apple's TV app recently gained live news in Canada. CBC News is available for free, or $4.99 per month without ads, while CTV News Go is offered through authentication with a cable provider like Bell or Rogers. Other options include CNN, BNN Bloomberg, and online news network Cheddar.
Apple today launched a new ad campaign focused on the Mac, carrying the tagline "Behind the Mac" and highlighting a trio of creators who have used Macs to "make something wonderful." There are four ads in the series, with the first, set to Daniel Johnston's "Story of an Artist," showing a variety of people using Macs as part of their creative processes.
Three other ads focus on specific Mac users from various disciplines:
- Photographer and disability advocate Bruce Hall, who is legally blind, uses his Mac and iPhone to help "see the things that always felt out of reach." Some of Hall's work is part of the permanent collection of the U.S. Library of Congress.
- Music artist Grimes uses a Mac "from start to finish" to write all of her music, edit music videos, and create digital art for her singles.
- App developer Peter Kariuki from Rwanda used his Mac to code the SafeMotos app for connecting passengers with safe motorcycle taxi drivers. The app monitors motorcyle riders on the road to "detect unsafe driving habits and help them become better drivers."
Apple has highlighted the campaign on its homepage and Mac section of its website.
AT&T this afternoon announced that it has completed its acquisition of Time Warner, just two days after a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the merger could move forward.
"The content and creative talent at Warner Bros., HBO and Turner are first-rate. Combine all that with AT&T's strengths in direct-to-consumer distribution, and we offer customers a differentiated, high-quality, mobile-first entertainment experience," said Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T Inc. "We're going to bring a fresh approach to how the media and entertainment industry works for consumers, content creators, distributors and advertisers."
The news comes after the United States Justice Department said that it would not seek a stay to stop the merger from happening. The DoJ can, however, appeal the decision if it chooses to do so even after the completion of the merger.
In a statement earlier this week, the DoJ said it believes that the merger between the two companies will make the pay TV market "less competitive and less innovative."
AT&T's purchase of Time Warner had been on hold since November, when the Justice Department filed a lawsuit to put a stop to it based on the argument that it would lead to higher bills and fewer options for consumers.
AT&T's successful acquisition of Time Warner and the judge's ruling in favor of the two companies has already had an impact on the television market, with Comcast moving forward with a $65 billion all-cash offer for Fox's assets.
Just in time for the FIFA World Cup, which began today, live sports are now available in Apple's TV app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV in Canada.
At launch, Sportsnet, TSN, RDS, CBC, and DAZN will bring sports content from a large selection of major sports leagues to the TV app on iPhones and iPads with iOS 11.2 and later, the fourth-generation Apple TV, and Apple TV 4K.
Here is a list of the Canadian providers and services available in the TV app's new Sports tab, which debuted in the United States last November:
Sportsnet — MLB, NHL, NBA, Premier League, WWE, Tour de France, and more
TSN GO — FIFA World Cup, CFL, PGA TOUR, and more
RDS GO — TSN content in French in Québec
DAZN — NFL, MLS, MLB Network, European soccer, tennis, and more
CBC — Calgary Stampede in July, rugby, and more
While it is already possible to simply open the apps listed above and stream sports content, the TV app provides a nice overview of live and scheduled content from each provider in one dedicated place.
If the Toronto Blue Jays are planning on Sportsnet, for example, simply open the TV app, tap on the play button, and the Sportsnet app will open and begin streaming the game. For an upcoming game, tap on the "Up Next" button to receive push notifications when it begins or when the score is close.
iPhone and iPad users can also ask Siri for real-time sports updates, including FIFA World Cup information, or ask to tune into a specific game.
Of course, users must have each provider's app to stream, and some require a subscription or cable authentication. To stream games via the Sportsnet app, for example, users must have a $24.99 per month Sportsnet NOW subscription or authenticate with a cable provider like Bell, Rogers, Shaw, or Cogeco.
Live news in the TV app has also expanded to Canada. CBC News is available for free, or $4.99 per month without ads, while CTV News Go is offered through authentication with a cable provider like Bell or Rogers. Other networks available include CNN, BNN Bloomberg, and online news network Cheddar.
iOS 12 introduces USB restrictions that effectively put an end to law enforcement access to iPhones and iPads using devices like the GrayKey box, but Grayshift, the company that makes the box, may have already developed a workaround.
VICE's Motherboard shared an email from a forensic expert who planned to meet with Grayshift, which said the company had "gone to great lengths" to futureproof its technology and that USB Restricted Mode had been "already defeated."
Grayshift's GrayKey iPhone unlocking box, via MalwareBytes
"Grayshift has gone to great lengths to future proof their technology and stated that they have already defeated this security feature in the beta build. Additionally, the GrayKey has built in future capabilities that will begin to be leveraged as time goes on," a June email from a forensic expert who planned to meet with Grayshift, and seen by Motherboard, reads, although it is unclear from the email itself how much of this may be marketing bluff. "They seem very confident in their staying power for the future right now," the email adds.
A second source that spoke to Motherboard said Grayshift addressed the topic of USB Restricted Mode in a webinar several weeks ago.
Coming in iOS 12, USB Restricted Mode prevents USB accessories from connecting to an iPhone or iPad if it's been more than an hour since the device was last unlocked.
The setting is enabled by default and it will not allow USB-based accessories like the GrayKey box to connect to an iOS device until a passcode is entered, effectively disabling the current techniques law enforcement officials across the United States are using to access locked iPhones.
Motherboard's sources did not share details on how Grayshift plans to avoid the new USB restrictions, so it's not clear if the GrayKey box will continue to function or if Grayshift has another iPhone access solution in the works.
Despite Grayshift's potential workaround, law enforcement officials are concerned about the changes Apple is implementing, and are said to be frustrated with the attention the GrayKey box has received in the media. "Some vendors are frustrated with GrayKey," one researcher told Motherboard. "They feel the media hype brought too much attention to the attack vector."
Apple yesterday confirmed its plans to implement new USB access restrictions in iOS 12 and clarified that it is aiming to defend customers against hackers, not frustrate law enforcement officials.
"At Apple, we put the customer at the center of everything we design. We're constantly strengthening the security protections in every Apple product to help customers defend against hackers, identity thieves and intrusions into their personal data. We have the greatest respect for law enforcement, and we don't design our security improvements to frustrate their efforts to do their jobs," Apple said in a statement to MacRumors.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
AT&T this 
