MacRumors

Apple today celebrated four decades of the company's presence in Singapore, which was just 16 years old as a nation when Apple's first office opened there in 1981.

In a press release, Apple hailed its base for Asia Pacific operations as a globally recognized center of innovation and expertise, dedicated to embracing a "high-tech vision for the future."

"We're thrilled to be celebrating this important milestone with our teams in Singapore, and the customers and communities they serve with creativity and passion," says Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People. "Together, we've created an enduring partnership rooted in our shared values that will empower us to build a brighter tomorrow."

According to Apple, Singapore is home to more than 3,500 Apple team members representing over 50 nationalities, and the company supports over 55,000 jobs in the country when factoring in the iOS app economy.

Singapore also boasts five Apple Distinguished Schools, where educators are certified Apple Teachers, trained in foundational skills for iPad and Mac, while students learn basic Swift coding as part of their core curriculum.

In 2020, Apple partnered with Singapore's healthcare system to launch LumiHealth, a personalized program to encourage healthy activity and behaviors using Apple Watch and iPhone. It was also the first company in the country to run on 100% renewable energy.

Last year, Apple made a splash in Singapore when it opened its Marina Bay Sands retail store, which has a unique dome-like design unlike any other Apple store and sits on a body of water.

Also today, CEO Tim Cook was interviewed on local radio to celebrate the company's 40-year history, and explained that his first job at Apple was to visit Singapore's production line for the original translucent iMac. Cook also revealed that the first Apple product he used was an Apple II when he was studying at Auburn university.

Alongside introducing the new MagSafe Battery Pack last week, Apple debuted new AirTag Leather Loop and ‌AirTag‌ Key Ring accessories in updated colors, but it appears there may be more official shades to come, if existing reseller listings are accurate.

For example, Amazon currently has additional ‌AirTag‌ Loop color options in Capri Blue and Pink Citrus, and both the ‌AirTag‌ Leather Loop and ‌AirTag‌ Leather Key Ring are listed as available in Meyer Lemon.

The colors also appear in other third-party online retailers, yet none of them are listed on Apple's online store. All the resellers list the additional colors as out of stock until August or into September, so it's always possible Apple will also add them to its own online store at around that time.

We aren't expecting any big product announcements from Apple until at least September with the launch of the new iPhone series, so the company may just silently add them to its accessory offerings for ‌AirTag‌ in the near future or tag them onto a big product press release. Watch this space.

(H/T @epictechh)

Twitter is currently working on a "Voice Transformer" – a voice manipulation feature for Spaces, its live audio conversations service that rolled out to more users in May.

"Voice Transformer" will provide several effects for users to change the sound of their voice as they engage in Spaces conversations, which could inject some fun into chats or perhaps be used by people who dislike the sound of their own voice.

First spotted by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong, the feature manipulates voices by adjusting pitch or adding echo. MacRumors contributor Steve Moser subsequently revealed the full list of voice effects that will be available in Spaces. They include Bee, Cartoon, Helium, Incognito, Karaoke, Microphone, Phone, Spatial, Stadium, and Stage.

It's unclear when Voice Transformer will be available to use by the general public who engage in Spaces conversations, but code relating to the feature is already included in the latest version of Twitter for mobile, so it shouldn't be too far away.

Apple in July 2021 began offering beta firmware for the AirPods Pro, with the software available for Apple Developer program members.

‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware betas are limited to developers and are quite tricky to install, with an installation guide available below.

Note: Installing the firmware in an unauthorized way can put the ‌AirPods Pro‌ into an unusable state that necessitates an out-of-warranty repair, so non-developers should not attempt to install the software.

Install the AirPods Pro Firmware Profile on iPhone

1. On your iPhone, go to the Apple Developer website, log in, and navigate to the downloads section.
2. Tap on the carrot in the upper right corner and then tap on "More."
3. Scroll down to "‌AirPods Pro‌ beta" and tap on "View Details."
4. Tap on the iOSAirPodsProSeed.mobileconfig configuration profile.
5. Tap on "Allow" to install it, and select the ‌iPhone‌.
6. Open up the Settings app and tap on "Profile Downloaded," then tap on "Install" and enter your passcode.
7. Tap on "Install" again then tap on "Done."

Connect AirPods Pro to iPhone

1. With the ‌AirPods Pro‌ near the ‌iPhone‌, open up the ‌AirPods Pro‌ case.
2. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ should pair automatically to the ‌iPhone‌.

Use Xcode to Allow AirPods Pro to Receive Beta Software

1. Make sure you have the latest beta version of Xcode installed. It can be downloaded from the Apple Developer website.
2. After installing the ‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware configuration profile and then connecting the ‌AirPods Pro‌ to the ‌iPhone‌, connect the ‌iPhone‌ to a Mac with the appropriate USB to Lightning cable.
3. Launch the Xcode beta app. You don't actually need to do anything with the Xcode app beyond opening it up.
4. On the ‌iPhone‌, open up the Settings app, tap on the Developer section, and choose Pre-Release Beta Firmware.
5. Locate the ‌AirPods Pro‌ in the list of paired devices.
6. Tap to turn on automatic beta software updates for the appropriate ‌AirPods Pro‌ in the list.

Install the Beta Firmware

After tapping to turn on software updates, tap on "Agree" to agree to Apple's Legal Consent form. From there, your ‌AirPods Pro‌ will be ready to receive the firmware.

Firmware installation is not automatic and it can take up to 24 hours for the beta firmware to be installed on ‌AirPods Pro‌ after opting in.

To get the firmware to install, Apple says that the AirPods should be connected to the ‌iPhone‌ and then the case hinge should be closed to trigger the update.

You can check to see if your ‌AirPods Pro‌ have been updated with the new firmware by connecting them, tapping into the "Bluetooth" section of the Settings app and tapping on the "i" button. The number under version will let you know which update you have installed.

Removing AirPods Pro Firmware

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Tap on General.
3. Tap on "Profiles & Device Management."
4. Tap "‌AirPods Pro‌ Firmware Profile."
5. Tap "Remove Profile."

Once you uninstall the profile, the ‌AirPods Pro‌ will not receive new beta software updates, but will continue to have beta software installed until the next release of nonbeta software is available.

AirPods Firmware Warnings

After installing beta firmware on the ‌AirPods Pro‌, there is no way to downgrade to a release version of the firmware.

Apple says that once the ‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware has been installed, it's important not to put un-updated earbuds into the charging case because they may be updated with the firmware.

As mentioned above, Apple also warns that attempting to install the ‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware in an unauthorized manner could put the AirPods in an unusable state, which would necessitate an out-of-warranty repair.

The United States Federal Trade Commission today announced that it is committed to devoting more of its resources to fight against unlawful repair restrictions in a move that has the potential to impact Apple in the future.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Joe Biden called on the FTC to create new right to repair rules that will prevent manufacturers from limiting consumers and businesses from repairing their own electronic devices. The FTC today followed up with a policy statement [PDF] and said that it plans to prioritize investigations into unlawful repair restrictions.

Restricting consumers and businesses from choosing how they repair products can substantially increase the total cost of repairs, generate harmful electronic waste, and unnecessarily increase wait times for repairs. In contrast, providing more choice in repairs can lead to lower costs, reduce e-waste by extending the useful lifespan of products, enable more timely repairs, and provide economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and local businesses.

The FTC is urging the public to submit complaints and provide information to aid in its enforcement of right to repair options, and it will consider filing suit against those who violate the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in addition to scrutinizing repair restrictions for violation of antitrust laws.

The FTC also plans to monitor private litigation to look for opportunities to investigate unfair repair practices, working with state law enforcement and policymakers to update existing laws and regulations.

The Commission will bring an interdisciplinary approach to this issue, using resources and expertise from throughout the agency to combat unlawful repair restrictions. The FTC will also closely coordinate with state law enforcement and policymakers to ensure compliance and to update existing law and regulation to advance the goal of open repair markets.

In a statement, FTC Chair Lina Khan said that the FTC has a "range of tools" that can be used to "root out unlawful repair restrictions" and the new policy statement commits the FTC to "move forward on this issue with new vigor."

It's not yet clear how Apple might be impacted, but the company has fought against Right to Repair bills that have been proposed in multiple U.S. states. Apple claims that allowing independent repair shops to work on Apple devices without oversight could lead to security, safety and quality issues.

Twitter appears to be testing a new "dislike" or thumbs down button for tweets, which is designed to let people downvote replies. Twitter says that the feature is available for "some" iOS users.

The dislike button is visible to the person who is viewing tweets, but it is not a publicly available metric or visible to the author of the tweet. The thumbs down option will allow a tweet reply to be downvoted.

Twitter says that it is an internal tool that is designed to help Twitter understand what people think is valuable to a conversation.

There is no word on whether this is a feature that Twitter plans to roll out to everyone in the future, and for now, it is limited to a select number of users.

Following the release of iPadOS 14.7 this morning, Apple has shared details on the security updates that are included in iOS 14.7, iPadOS 14.7, macOS Big Sur 11.5, watchOS 7.6, and tvOS 14.7, all of which came out this week.

Notably, Apple's documentation confirms that the iOS 14.7 and iPadOS 14.7 updates address a WiFi-related vulnerability that could impact iOS devices when joining a malicious WiFi Network.

Available for: iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation)

Impact: Joining a malicious Wi-Fi network may result in a denial of service or arbitrary code execution

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

Back in June, a wireless networking naming bug was discovered, which could disable an iPhone or iPad's WiFi functionality. Joining a network named "%p%s%s%s%s%n" could, in some cases, permanently disable WiFi on a device, and in many other cases, it required resetting an ‌iPhone‌ entirely.

During the beta testing process, it was discovered that the bug was no longer functional, and Apple's notes make it clear that the issue has been addressed.

The iOS and iPadOS 14.7 updates also address a number of other security vulnerabilities related to audio files, Find My, PDFs, web images, and more, so all ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users should update to the new iOS 14.7 updates as soon as possible.

There are also security fixes in macOS Big Sur 11.5, tvOS 14.7, and watchOS 7.6. For Mac users who run older versions of macOS, Apple has released security updates for macOS Catalina and macOS Mojave.

The United States Justice Department has continued pursuing those responsible for a 2020 Twitter hack that saw the accounts of high-profile companies and individuals hacked as part of a Bitcoin scam.

Several people have already been arrested and charged for the attack, and the DoJ today announced (via The Verge) that 22-year-old Joseph O'Connor, aka "PlugWalkJoe," has also been arrested.

A UK citizen, O'Connor was apprehended by the Spanish National Police in Spain, and he has been charged with multiple crimes related to the hack as well as crimes related to cyberstalking and takeovers of TikTok and Snapchat accounts. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine sentencing based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

O'Connor's role in the Twitter attack was previously highlighted by Krebs on Security, and in a 2020 interview with The New York Times, O'Connor claimed that he was not involved in the hack. "They can come arrest me," he said. "I would laugh at them. I haven't done anything."

Graham Ivan Clark, an 18-year-old considered to be the "mastermind" of the attack, was sentenced to three years in prison earlier this year. Mason "Chaewon" Sheppard from the UK and Nima "Rolex" Fazeli have also been charged in the attack and are facing prison time.

In the 2020 attack, hackers targeted Twitter employees in a "phone spear phishing attack," tricking them into thinking they were speaking to other Twitter employees. Using these methods, the hackers were able to gain access to Twitter's internal tools and were able to illicitly access Twitter accounts.

The parties involved hacked into accounts belonging to Apple, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and more. Tweets were sent out from these accounts soliciting Bitcoin, and scammers received more than $100,000.

Apple today released iPadOS 14.7, marking the seventh major update to the iPadOS operating system that came out in September 2020. Apple already released iOS 14.7 on July 19, but for some reason, delayed the iPadOS 14.7 debut until today.

The iPadOS 14.7 update can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Most iPad models are receiving iPadOS 14.7 with a build number of 18G69, but the cellular versions of the iPad Air 4 and the ‌iPad Air‌ 8 are receiving updates with a build number of 18G70, suggesting iPadOS 14.7 release was held back to fix a bug affecting these devices.

According to Apple's release notes for the update, iPadOS 14.7 introduces an option for two Apple Card members in the same family to combine their cards, plus it adds new Podcasts options and fixes a bug that could cause audio to skip when using USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapters. Apple's full release notes are below:

iPadOS 14.7 includes the following improvements and bug fixes for your iPad:
- Apple Card family adds the option to combine credit limits and share one co-owned account with an existing Apple Card user
- Home app adds the ability to manage timers on HomePod
- Podcasts library allows you to choose to see all shows or only followed shows
- Share Playlist menu option missing in Apple Music
- Dolby Atmos and Apple Music lossless audio playback may unexpectedly stop
- Braille displays could show invalid information while composing Mail messages
- Audio may skip when using USB-C to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapters with iPad

iPadOS 14.7 may be the last update to the iPadOS 14 operating system as Apple transitions to working on iOS and iPadOS 15, which were introduced this fall. iOS and iPadOS 15 will be released this fall.

Apple today released macOS Big Sur 11.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Big Sur operating system that launched in November 2020. macOS Big Sur 11.5 comes two months after the release of macOS Big Sur 11.4.

The new ‌‌‌‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌‌‌ 11.5 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.

macOS Big Sur is a minor update focusing on small changes and bug fixes. According to Apple's release notes, the update improves the Podcasts app by allowing the Podcasts Library tab to be adjusted to show all shows or only followed shows.

It also addresses an issue that could cause Apple Music not to update play count or the last played date in the library, and it fixes a bug that caused smart cards not to work when logging into M1 Macs.

macOS Big Sur 11.5 is likely to be one of the final updates to the macOS Big Sur operating system as Apple shifts its attention to macOS Monterey, which is set to be released this fall.

Instagram today updated its Instagram Stories feature with a new translate option that is designed to automatically translate text in a Story.

Instagram Stories are Instagram's ephemeral content posting option, with each Story vanishing after 24 hours. Automatic translation is able to translate text into more than 90 languages, but there is no audio translation option.

In any Story that has a language that is not the user's native language, there will be a "See Translation" banner that can be tapped to get a translation.

Instagram has provided translate tools for standard Instagram posts since 2016, and the new feature means translation options are available across most Instagram media types.

Verizon this week announced that it will be releasing a Fios TV app for the Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, and Amazon Fire TV tomorrow, July 22, providing Fios TV subscribers with additional platforms to watch live television.

All new Fios TV plans will come with Verizon's voice-powered Fios TV One box at no additional charge, and instead of subscribers having to pay a fee for a second Fios TV One box, they will be able to download the Fios TV app for the Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV and access the live television channels included in their plan using those set-top boxes. However, there is a limit of two simultaneous streams per Fios TV One box.

"Parents can watch live sports events on the Fios box in the living room while kids watch cartoons and teens watch comedies on connected TVs in their bedrooms," said Verizon. "With Fios TV One enabling more flexibility, Fios TV users can more easily place TVs in the kitchen, on the back patio or other areas of the house."

Verizon's new Fios "Mix and Match" plans will be available on July 22, with details and pricing to be shared at getfios.com.

A common form of malware on Windows systems has been modified into a new strain called "XLoader" that can also target macOS (via Bleeping Computer).

Derived from the Formbook info-stealer for Windows, XLoader is a form of cross-platform malware advertised as a botnet with no dependencies. It is used to steal login credentials, capture screenshots, log keystrokes, and execute malicious files. The malware was discovered by security researchers at Check Point Software.

A server hosting the macOS version of XLoader is available to bad actors on the dark web for $49 per month. Check Point tracked XLoader for a six-month period, seeing requests from 69 countries, indicating significant use across the world. More than half of all victims were based in the United States.

Formbook continues to be a prevalent threat, being part of over 1,000 malware campaigns in the last three years, and XLoader is expected to have even wider use given its cross-platform capability and greater level of sophistication.

Head of Cyber Research at Check Point, Yaniv Balmas, said that macOS's growing popularity has exposed it to increasing attention from cybercriminals, who see the platform as a worthwhile target.

While there might be a gap between Windows and macOS malware, the gap is slowly closing over time. The truth is that macOS malware is becoming bigger and more dangerous.

According to Check Point, XLoader is stealthy enough for it to remain hidden to most users. It is possible to check for its presence by using macOS's Autorun to check the username in the OS and look into the LaunchAgents folder, where entries with suspicious filenames should be deleted.

Upcoming AirPods Pro firmware updates are now available to Apple Developer Program members as beta versions.

‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware beta one features FaceTime Spatial Audio and Ambient Noise Reduction. Custom Transparency mode, including Conversation Boost, was initially expected to be included in the beta but appears to have been delayed for a later version.

Apple made the announcement that beta firmware for ‌AirPods Pro‌ would be available to developers earlier this year, allowing for certain ‌AirPods Pro‌ software features or changes to be widely tested before they are pushed to the public, but it did not originally give a timeframe for its release.

The beta firmware is now available to download under the "More Downloads" heading on the Apple Developer website. To install the beta firmware, users must have an iPhone running iOS 15 beta software, a Mac running Xcode 13 beta software, and have fully charged their ‌AirPods Pro‌.

Installing the beta firmware is more laborious than most other Apple Developer betas. It requires an ‌AirPods Pro‌ configuration profile to be installed on an ‌iPhone‌, ‌AirPods Pro‌ to be connected to the ‌iPhone‌, the ‌iPhone‌ to be connected to a Mac running the Xcode 13 beta, ‌iPhone‌ Prerelease Beta Firmware settings to be turned on, ‌AirPods Pro‌ automatic beta software updates to be turned on, and then an on-screen process to be followed. Apple notes that users should be patient as it can take up to 24 hours to receive and install these updates.

Users should be aware that once installed, there is no way to roll back to a non-beta version of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware. The only option is to turn off further updates and wait for a non-beta release.

Previously, there was no way to manually update AirPods devices with new firmware, with updates simply being installed automatically in the background when connected to power and nearby to a paired ‌iPhone‌ or iPad with an internet connection.

Google today announced that it is expanding transit crowdedness predictions to more than 10,000 transit agencies in 100 countries so that customers can better determine which transit options are at capacity and which have more open space and seating available.

In New York and Sydney, Google is launching a pilot program that lets Maps users see live crowdedness information at the transit car level, with the feature powered by the Long Island Rail Road and Transport for New South Wales.

Google is also updating its review process to make it easier for Google Maps users to leave detailed reviews. The review interface will prompt users to add information like price ranges or whether a restaurant offers takeout or delivery.

For Android users, Google has added a new Timeline Insights tab that's designed to provide details on modes of transportation used, miles traveled, and how much time has been spent at different places like shops, airports, and restaurants.

A Trips feature, also available on Android, lets users relive past trips that they've taken by resurfacing restaurants visited, hotels stayed in, and more. There is no word on whether Timeline Insights or Trips is coming to iOS, but these features require detailed Location History.

Google Maps for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Apple Music on Thursday will host a global livestream for the premiere of Kanye West's tenth studio album, titled "Donda."

The sold-out event will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, and ‌Apple Music‌'s livestream will start at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The livestream was revealed in a Beats Studio Buds ad that aired during the NBA Finals. The ad features U.S. track star Sha'Carri Richardson, who was recently banned from the Tokyo Olympic Games for testing positive for marijuana.

Richardson is seen starting a training session at night to the sound of "No Child Left Behind," one of the tracks on West's upcoming album.

The event was later confirmed by Def Jam Recordings in a tweet. Kanye's "Donda" will be officially released the day after the event, July 23.

This isn't the first time Apple has livestreamed a special event. Most recently, in February, Apple TV+ hosted a live premiere for its exclusive documentary "Billie Eilish: The World's A Little Blurry."