MacRumors

macOS High Sierra, released to the public today, could be impacted by a major security flaw that could allow a hacker to steal the usernames and passwords of accounts stored in Keychain.

As it turns out, unsigned apps on macOS High Sierra (and potentially earlier versions of macOS) can allegedly access the Keychain info and display plaintext usernames and passwords without a user's master password.

Security researcher and ex-NSA analyst Patrick Wardle tweeted about the vulnerability early this morning and shared a video of the exploit in action.

As demonstrated in the video above, Wardle created a proof-of-concept app called "keychainStealer" that was able to access plaintext passwords stored in Keychain for Twitter, Facebook, and Bank of America. Wardle spoke to Forbes about the vulnerability and said it's actually not hard to get malicious code running on a Mac even with Apple's protections in place.

"Without root priveleges, if the user is logged in, I can dump and exfiltrate the keychain, including plaintext passwords," Wardle told Forbes. "Normally you are not supposed to be able do that programmatically."

"Most attacks we see today involve social engineering and seem to be successful targeting Mac users," he added. "I'm not going to say the [keychain] exploit is elegant - but it does the job, doesn't require root and is 100% successful."

Wardle has not provided the full exploit code for malicious entities to take advantage of, and he believes Apple will patch the problem in a future update.

As Wardle has not released the full exploit code, it has not been double-checked by MacRumors or another source, so full details on the vulnerability are not known just yet.

Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment about the potential vulnerability.

Apple today released the newest version of its operating system for Macs, macOS High Sierra, to the public. macOS High Sierra is a free download that's available today for everyone who has a compatible Mac.

macOS High Sierra can be downloaded directly from the Mac App Store or through the Software Update function in the Mac App Store. Some users are seeing an error that prevents installation, so the update may still be propagating. macOS High Sierra is compatible with all Macs able to run Sierra, with a full list below:

2009 and Later
- iMac (Late 2009)
- MacBook (Late 2009)

2010 and Later
- MacBook Air (Late 2010)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010)

macOS High Sierra is designed to improve on the previous macOS Sierra operating system with some major under-the-hood upgrades and a handful of outward-facing changes.

Apple File System (APFS), a file system designed for solid state drives, is the new default for these drives in macOS High Sierra. APFS is safe, secure, and optimized for modern storage systems. It features native encryption, safe document saves, stable snapshots, and crash protection, plus it brings performance improvements.

APFS is available for all Macs with solid state storage, but it is not available for Fusion drives or standard hard drives.

macOS High Sierra introduces support for High Efficiency Video Encoding (HEVC) for better compression without loss of quality, and HEIF for smaller photo sizes.

Metal 2, Apple's next-generation Metal graphics API, is included in High Sierra, offering a range of improvements to games, apps, and overall animations on the Mac. Metal 2 brings support for machine learning, external GPUs (coming in Spring 2018), and VR content creation for the first time.

Along with these invisible upgrades, several apps have been updated with new features. Photos has a new look and new editing tools for Curves, Selective Color, and Live Photos, and the Memories feature in Photos has been expanded.

Safari now blocks autoplay videos and includes Intelligent Tracking Prevention to protect your privacy, and there's also a new always-on option for Safari Reader. Mail search is better than ever, Mail storage has been optimized to take up 35 percent less space, and iCloud Drive file sharing and iCloud storage family plans have been added.

As with iOS, Siri has gotten smarter with cross-device syncing. There are also tweaks to FaceTime (you can snap live photos), Notes (tables and pinning), and Spotlight (improved search), along with dozens of other tiny changes and tweaks.

Additional information on macOS High Sierra can be found in our macOS High Sierra roundup, which includes details on all of the new features found in the update.

Starting today, Apple search results from Siri and Spotlight on Mac and iOS will be provided by Google rather than Microsoft's Bing. Apple announced the news in a statement that was given to TechCrunch this morning, claiming consistency across iOS and Mac devices is the reason behind the switch.

"Switching to Google as the web search provider for Siri, Search within iOS and Spotlight on Mac will allow these services to have a consistent web search experience with the default in Safari," reads an Apple statement sent this morning. "We have strong relationships with Google and Microsoft and remain committed to delivering the best user experience possible."

Prior to this morning, all results from a search conducted on Spotlight using Finder on Mac or the swipe down search bar on iOS were Bing search results, as was all search information provided by Siri. Now, when you search using Spotlight or when you ask Siri a question that ends up involving a web search, info will come from Google.

According to TechCrunch, the swap will include both web links and video results from YouTube, but web image results in Siri and Spotlight searches will continue to be provided by Bing for the time being. Google searches will use the standard search API and will provide the same search results you'd get from a Google.com search.

While Apple has used Bing for search results for things like Siri and Spotlight, Google has remained the default search engine on iOS and Mac devices. Earlier this year, reports suggested Google paid Apple nearly $3 billion to maintain its position as the default search engine on iOS devices.

The search engine swap began rolling out to users at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Update: Microsoft has provided a statement to TechCrunch on the shift from Bing to Google.

We value our relationship with Apple and look forward to continuing to parter with them in many ways, including on Bing Image Search in Siri, to provide the best experience possible for our customers. Bing has grown every year since its launch, now powering over a third of all the PC search volume in the U.S., and continues to grow worldwide. It also powers the search experiences of many other partners, including Yahoo (Verizon), AOL and Amazon, as well as the multi-lingual abilities of Twitter. As we move forward, given our work to advance the field of AI, we're confident that Bing will be at the forefront of providing a more intelligent search experience for our customers and partners.

Following a report claiming Apple's suppliers are shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for initial production of the iPhone X, a new report suggests the TrueDepth camera is the primary bottleneck.

The word comes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the facial recognition system is "far more complex" than those on competing devices, which is making it challenging for Apple to achieve mass production.

An excerpt from Kuo's research note obtained by MacRumors:

TrueDepth camera may be main production bottleneck of iPhone X ramp. The 3D sensing (TrueDepth camera) on iPhone X is composed of a structured-light system, time-of-flight system and a front-facing camera, which represents a far more complex structure than those of rivals. It will therefore be harder to achieve mass production. While we project iPhone X will see output ramp up meaningfully in mid/ late October, tight supply may only start to ease in 1H18F due to strong demand.

Kuo said shipments of iPhone X components will likely ramp up in mid to late October. Given pre-orders begin October 27, with in-store availability starting November 3, all signs point towards the iPhone X being in extremely short supply.

Kuo believes iPhone X pre-orders have the potential to exceed 40-50 million units, so it's clear the device won't achieve supply-chain balance for quite awhile.

Apple has instructed some of its suppliers to slow down delivery of iPhone X components, according to Taiwanese website DigiTimes.

The report, citing unnamed sources from within Apple's supply chain, claims the suppliers are now shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for the initial production of the iPhone X.

Apple is allegedly waiting to see how many iPhone X pre-orders it receives, and monitoring how well the already-released iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sell, before fully ramping up production overseas.

However, the report mentions some suppliers still need to step up production to meet the 40 percent requirement due to low yield rates at their production lines, which is the more likely reason for the slowdown.

Essentially, since some suppliers are manufacturing iPhone X parts more slowly than others, Apple could be capping shipments from all suppliers so it has an equal number of all components when the device launches in just under six weeks.

Whatever the case may be, this report provides yet another indication that the iPhone X is proving especially challenging to make.

Just one day before the device was unveiled, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said iPhone X production totaled fewer than 10,000 units per day. In a follow-up research note, Kuo said the device is unlikely to achieve complete supply-demand equilibrium until at least the first half of next year.

All signs point towards overwhelming demand for the iPhone X. Earlier today, Kuo said pre-orders may exceed 40-50 million units. Lower adoption of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, and shorter lines at Apple retail stores, also suggest that many customers may be waiting for the iPhone X, but it remains to be seen.

iPhone X pre-orders begin Friday, October 27, followed by in-store availability in limited quantities starting Friday, November 3.

Apple's lineup of iPhones next year will introduce a larger-screened LCD model, measuring more than 6 inches, according to a report today by The Bell (via The Korea Herald). It's unclear whether this size will be an additional offering to the current LCD iPhone lineup (including 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models), or if it's replacing these sizes completely.

In May we heard the first rumor about Apple's 2018 iPhones, which at the time focused solely on the OLED versions and did not mention the LCD models. This rumor stated that the devices would come in 5.28-inch and 6.46-inch OLED screen sizes. A subsequent report by ETNews suggested that Apple had ditched the small 5.28-inch size and moved to focus on 5.85-inch and 6.46-inch models, and today's report corroborates those claims.

This means that next year Apple could potentially launch the following iPhones: a 5.8-inch OLED model, a 6.46-inch "Plus" OLED model, and at least one LCD model that measures 6 inches (or larger).

Apple has decided to ditch the smallest 5.28-inch OLED iPhone next year, while adding a larger -- possibly more than 6 inches -- LCD model into the full lineup, according to The Bell on Sept. 25.

Citing local parts makers, the report said Apple had originally given panel orders to Samsung Display, its sole OLED supplier, under a plan to launch three OLED iPhones next year -- 5.28-, 5.85-, and 6.46-inch models. But the report said the development work for the 5.28-inch model has recently been suspended possibly due to the low marketability of the smaller version.

The Bell cites local parts makers who claimed that Apple decided to scrap the 5.28-inch model of next year's iPhone "due to the low marketability" of such a small-screened device. Apple is said to have given OLED orders to Samsung Display for the other two sizes.

Apple will continue sourcing 2018's LCD iPhone screens from supplier Japan Display, which already includes panel orders for the new larger screen size. According to industry watchers, Apple's decision to ditch the 5.28-inch iPhone 9 is due to the "popularity of larger-screen phones for video viewing." A 6.46-inch iPhone would be larger than Samsung's 6.3-inch Galaxy Note 8.

In regards to when Apple might switch to OLED-only iPhones, 2019 has been eyed as the year that Apple might finally make that transition.

New data shows iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus adoption was lower than previous models over the first three days of availability.

During the first weekend of sales, the devices combined for an estimated 0.7 percent market share of all iPhone models, the lowest since the iPhone 5s in 2013, according to mobile engagement platform Localytics.

With an estimated 0.4 percent market share, the iPhone 8 Plus recorded higher first weekend adoption than any Plus-sized iPhone ever, as demand continues to shift towards the larger 5.5-inch smartphone.

It is important to note the data does not represent actual sales of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, but measures users who have received the devices and started using one of the 37,000 apps integrated with the Localytics SDK.

The slow start for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus is unsurprising, as the type of customers who would rush to purchase a new iPhone during the first weekend are likely waiting for the iPhone X to launch in November.

"Apple is betting big on the iPhone X, and so far it looks like consumers may be doing the same," said Localytics.

Apple stopped releasing first weekend sales numbers for new iPhone models last year, as demand typically outweighs supply, so the company feels it is no longer a representative metric for investors or customers.

In years past, we've announced how many new iPhones had been sold as of the first weekend following launch. But as we have expanded our distribution through carriers and resellers to hundreds of thousands of locations around the world, we are now at a point where we know before taking the first customer pre-order that we will sell out of iPhone 7.

These initial sales will be governed by supply, not demand, and we have decided that it is no longer a representative metric for our investors and customers. Therefore we won’t be releasing a first-weekend number any longer.

iOS 11's estimated 22 percent adoption is also lower than previous versions through the first six days of availability.

These numbers may or may not be completely accurate, but together with shorter lines reported at Apple retail stores on iPhone 8 launch day, there is an overall sense there will be overwhelming demand for the iPhone X.

iFixit has completed a teardown of the Apple Watch Series 3, which has a virtually identical form factor as previous models.

The display is unchanged from the Series 2, with one key difference being that it now functions as a multifrequency antenna for cellular. Series 3 models support LTE and UMTS, according to Apple's tech specs.

The battery in the 38mm model with GPS + Cellular has a capacity of 279 mAh at 3.82V, or 1.07 watt hours, which is only a slight increase of about 3.8 percent over the 38mm Series 2 model without cellular.

Apple said Series 3 models with cellular get up to 18 hours of battery life, including four hours of LTE and 14 hours of connection to an iPhone via Bluetooth. Series 2 models are also rated to last 18 hours with mixed usage.

iFixit was surprised that Apple managed to increase the battery size while still leaving room for the added functionality of cellular antennas, radios, power amplifiers, the embedded SIM card, and so on in the same form factor.

The embedded SIM, outlined in red, appears to be sourced from ST Microelectronics, and it is positioned next to a Wi-Fi module from Broadcom and other RF chips that enable cellular capabilities in the watch.

Last, we finally know what the tiny meshed hole is next to the diagnostic port: it's an air vent, since the Apple Watch Series 3's new barometric altimeter took over the vent's previous location next to the microphone.

Several MacRumors readers who purchased Apple's new iPhone 8 Plus have reported hearing intermittent crackling noises while taking calls on the device. MacRumors forum member vask first posted about the issue on Friday and a number of iPhone 8 Plus owners from Australia, the U.S., and across Europe have since contributed to the thread describing similar experiences.

According to iPhone 8 Plus owners, "very annoying" static sounds can sometimes be heard from the handset's earpiece during regular cellular calls, but the issue doesn't occur when using headphones or if speaker phone is enabled, which could indicate a software issue rather than a speaker defect. The audible crackling has also been reported when using FaceTime, increasing suspicions that the problem doesn't lie with network carriers. Forum member Jgpsolo describes the issue like so:

It is a high-pitched crackle like an audio pop that happens in the earpiece top speaker intermittently during calls. Some calls are fine and others crackle. It is not audible on earphones or on speakerphone, only through the earpiece. The caller on the other end doesn’t hear it.

I don’t know whether this is hardware or software related, but one thing that made me think it’s software related is that if you switch on to speakerphone for a few seconds then back to earpiece, the crackles resolve for the duration of the rest of the call. If this was a hardware issue with the earpiece, doing this shouldn’t make a difference.

The problem occurs "with or without WiFi calling, with 4G voice (VoLTE) on or off, with phone noise cancelling enabled or disabled under accessibility, and even with third party VoIP apps (like Acrobits Groundwire), with several different carriers," according to forum member ManuCH in Switzerland.

Some users have tried performing a hard reset on their iPhone 8 Plus, with mixed results. Apple's support team has advised some owners to restore their phone to factory settings and set up again via iCloud backup, again with variable results. Other users have even reported the same problem on like-for-like replacement devices after exchanging what they thought were faulty handsets.

Apple is apparently aware of the issue and is currently looking into it. We'll update this article as soon as we know more.