U.S. carrier T-Mobile recently managed to thwart a major network breach before customers were impacted, reports Bloomberg. Hackers were able to get into edge-routing infrastructure, breaching a router owned and operated by T-Mobile.
T-Mobile was able to detect the suspicious activity, blocking hackers from further accessing its systems. There were apparently attempts at getting deeper into the T-Mobile network, but T-Mobile was able to catch the intrusion early so no customer data was compromised. Bloomberg says that people familiar with the situation have confirmed that T-Mobile knows how its network was breached and the access point has been fixed.
It is not clear when the hack covered in Bloomberg's article took place, nor who perpetrated the attack.
In recent weeks, Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached multiple telecommunications companies to access smartphones owned by U.S. politicians. On November 15, T-Mobile did confirm that its systems were accessed by the Chinese hackers, but said that it had seen no "significant impacts to T-Mobile systems or data" and had "no evidence of impacts to or exfiltration of any customer information."
Back in 2021, T-Mobile suffered a major data breach that saw attackers access data from more than 50 million users. Data obtained included names, phone numbers, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, driver's license and ID info, IMEI numbers, and IMSI numbers, and hackers put it all up for sale.
At the time, T-Mobile pledged to bolster security with a multi-year investment and long-term partnerships with cybersecurity experts at Mandiant.
The 2021 hack ended up costing T-Mobile $60 million after it was fined by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) for failing to prevent or disclose unauthorized access to sensitive customer data.
Facebook today announced several updates for its Messenger platform, introducing Siri call integration, new AI features, support for HD video calls, and audio and video voice messages.
iPhone users can now ask Siri to make a call or send a message through the Messenger app. "Hey Siri, send a message to [person] on Messenger" will now work for hands-free calls. This is a feature that Apple has offered for some time, but Messenger did not support it until now.
Facebook is also adding audio and video voice messages, mirroring a FaceTime feature that Apple introduced with iOS 17. Messenger users can leave audio or voice messages when a Messenger call isn't picked up.
Messenger now supports HD video calls, background noise suppression, and voice isolation for clearer call quality when using Messenger. HD is enabled by default for calls made on Wi-Fi, and it can be added for cellular calls as well in the Messenger settings.
In the near future, Messenger will support AI backgrounds in Messenger video calls. Creating a personalized AI background can be done by tapping on the effects icon in the sidebar of a video call and choosing the "Backgrounds" option.
2024 is quickly coming to a close, but Apple still has some software updates and other remaining items on its agenda to get through. Below, we outline some of the key things to expect from Apple through the remainder of the year.
Apple's four-day Black Friday-Cyber Monday offer should return next week. In the U.S. last year, Apple offered up to a $200 gift card with select products. Keep track of our own Black Friday deals roundup for more savings on Apple products.
Apple previously announced that iOS 18.2 will be released in December. More specifically, we recently reported that the update will likely be released on Monday, December 9. Other updates should be released at the same time, including iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, visionOS 2.2, and HomePod Software 18.2.
iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 introduce additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for generating custom emoji, Image Playground for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also a new Visual Intelligence feature on all iPhone 16 models that can provide information about things in your surroundings. For example, if you point your iPhone's camera at a restaurant, you will be provided with its operating hours and reviews. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16, an iPad with an M-series chip or A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M-series chip.
For the Apple TV, tvOS 18.2 adds a Snoopy screen saver and ultra-wide 21:9 projector support.
visionOS 2.2 adds an ultra-wide mode to Mac Virtual Display, the feature that lets you use the Apple Vision Pro as an external monitor for a Mac. Apple says this is equivalent to using two physical 5K displays sitting side by side on a desk.
After those updates are released, the next wave of betas should follow in December. That should include iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, watchOS 11.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and HomePod Software 18.3. Apple's point-three updates are typically minor in scale relative to other versions, and there is a pause in beta releases during the holiday season. These updates will likely be released to the public in January.
The first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay could be released before the end of the year, if Apple meets the 2024 timeframe stated on its website. It has been nearly two and a half years since Apple first previewed next-generation CarPlay at WWDC 2022, so it has been a long wait. Apple has continued to prepare for next-generation CarPlay within iOS 18.2 code. For more details about next-generation CarPlay features, read our previous story.
Apple recently revealed the most popular podcasts of 2024, and Apple Music has some Best of 2024 playlists. Expect year-end charts and award winners for apps, books, and more soon, along with Apple Music's annual Artist of the Year selection. Of course, there could always be a surprise announcement or two in store through the end of the year.
We're ramping up to big Black Friday deals next week, but you can still find all-time low prices on multiple products right now. Today we've already covered great discounts on M3 MacBook Air, M4 MacBook Pro, and Apple Watch Series 10, and now Amazon has a new record low price on the 10th generation iPad.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The 64GB Wi-Fi iPad has hit $279.99 on Amazon, down from $349.00. This is the best price we've ever tracked on Amazon for the tablet, and it's available in all four colors.
Amazon also has the 256GB Wi-Fi model for the best-ever price of $429.99 ($69 off), and both cellular tablets are on sale as well. The 64GB cellular is down to $449.00 ($50 off) and the 256GB cellular tablet is available for $579.00 ($70 off). Color options for the cellular models are a bit more sparse as of writing.
We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
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As spotted by Mohammad Aldarawish and others, the upcoming iOS 18.2 and watchOS 11.2 updates add new "All Rings Closed" activity awards for the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch users can earn these awards for closing all three Move, Exercise, and Stand/Roll rings for 100 days, 365 days, 500 days, and 1,000 days, and at every 250-day interval above 1,000 days. One person showed off an impressive 3,250-day award, and tomorrow will be the 3,500-day mark since the Apple Watch launched in 2015, so anyone with a perfect track record of closing their rings should unlock that one very shortly.
The awards are applied retroactively as necessary, with past dates of completion shown in the Awards section of the Fitness app on the iPhone.
iOS 18.2 and watchOS 11.2 are currently in beta testing. The software updates are expected to be released to the public in early December.
Black Friday deals continue to drop for the Apple Watch Series 10 on Amazon, with $69 off both 42mm GPS and 46mm GPS models. All of these deals have been applied automatically and do not require any coupon codes.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $329.99, down from $399.00. This one is available in multiple case colors and band styles, and it's a new record low price for the 2024 wearable.
Similarly, the 46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 is available for $359.99 on Amazon, down from $429.00. This one is also available in multiple case colors, band styles, and sizes at this all-time low price. There's also $69 discounts across the Series 10 cellular models.
We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Following a few all-time low prices on the MacBook Air this morning, Amazon is now discounting multiple M4 MacBook Pro models to new low prices ahead of Black Friday. Many of these require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price at checkout.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Prices start at $1,399.99 for the M4 14-inch MacBook Pro (16GB RAM/512GB), down from $1,599.00. This deal, along with a few others listed below, is a new best-ever price on the M4 MacBook Pro, and right now only Amazon is offering these discounts.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the third betas. Alongside the fourth betas of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating system updates, Apple has also seeded the third beta of watchOS 11.2.
With today's updates, Apple is continuing to test the next phase of Apple Intelligence, with these features available for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS:
Image Playground
Image Playground is Apple's image generation app, and it can create images based on prompts. You can enter a description of what you want or use the built-in suggestions and concepts that Apple provides. Apple will suggest costumes, locations, items, and more to add to an image, and these concepts are intelligent and can draw inspiration from a Messages thread or content in the Notes app.
There are options to create characters that resemble your friends and family, and you can choose a photo for Image Playground to use as inspiration to create a related image. Elements added to Image Playground creations are previewed, and there is a preview history so you can undo a change and go back to a prior version.
While Image Playground is a standalone app, it is also integrated into Messages. Image Playground does not make photorealistic images and is instead limited to animation or illustration styles.
Image Wand
Image Wand is an Image Playground-related feature that's available in the Notes app on iPad. You can draw a rough sketch with the Apple Pencil or circle a blank space or a key phrase in a note to have Image Wand generate an appropriate image.
Genmoji
Genmoji are custom emoji characters that you can create based on descriptions and phrases. Like Image Playground creations, you can base them on your friends and family, with the data pulled from the People album in Photos. You can also make characters using basic elements, and you'll get multiple Genmoji suggestions to choose from. You can create Genmoji using the emoji keyboard.
Genmoji were limited to iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 as of the second betas, but will be coming to macOS Sequoia.
Siri ChatGPT Integration
Siri can integrate with ChatGPT for certain requests, but only with user approval. If Siri is unable to provide an answer to a query, Siri will hand the request over to ChatGPT. ChatGPT's answer will then be provided by Siri.
ChatGPT can be used to create content from scratch, including text and images. No account is required to use ChatGPT integration, and Apple and OpenAI do not store requests.
Visual Intelligence
iPhone 16 users have access to Visual Intelligence, a feature that provides information about what's around you. If you open the camera and point it at a restaurant, for example, you'll see opening hours and reviews.
Some other Visual Intelligence capabilities include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to Contacts, copying text, and summarizing text. There is an option to search Google for where to buy a specific item that you see, and you can also point the camera at something and then get more information about it from ChatGPT.
Apple plans to expand this feature to include more functionality over time.
Writing Tools
Apple is enhancing the Writing Tools feature to add an option to make more open-ended changes. In iOS 18.1 and its sister updates, Writing Tools can only be used to change the tone to friendly, professional, and a more simplified version. In iOS 18.2, you can describe the tone or content change that you want to make, such as adding more action words, or turning an email into a poem.
More Languages
Apple Intelligence has gained support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the U.K., in addition to U.S. English.
Wait List
If you've already been testing Apple Intelligence and are opted in, you will have access to Writing Tools, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence automatically.
There is a secondary waiting list for early access to use Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand. You can sign up to get access in Image Playground or in the areas where you access Genmoji or Image Wand.
When you request access, you are added to a wait list for all three capabilities and you'll get a notification when the features are available for you to use. Apple is rolling out access to the new image generation features over the coming weeks.
Availability and Compatibility
The iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 are available on all devices, but the Apple Intelligence features require a device capable of Apple Intelligence. Apple is still working on refining the new Apple Intelligence tools, and the company warns that Genmoji, Image Wand, and Image Playground can sometimes give you results you weren't expecting. Apple is collecting feedback on these experiences and will refine them over time.
Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16 model, an iPad with an M-series chip or an A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M-series chip.
Release Date
Apple is expected to release the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and visionOS 2.2 updates in early December.
Samsung has introduced early Black Friday deals this week, and you can find discounts on TVs, smartphones, monitors and memory, wearables, appliances, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Notable deals this time around include multiple monitors and TVs at low prices, as well as deals on portable SSD accessories and memory. If you're shopping for the popular 27-inch ViewFinity S9 Smart Monitor, be sure to check out Amazon's price tag of $819.98 ($780 off), which is much better than Samsung's current price.
Below we've collected some deals on monitors, storage, TVs, and Galaxy products, but be sure to browse the full sale for even more Black Friday discounts at Samsung.
We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
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Apple today announced that music recognition tool Shazam has identified more than 100 billion songs since it launched. Shazam started as an SMS service in the U.K. in 2002, and it became one of the first iPhone apps available on the App Store in 2008.
Apple shared some fun comparisons for this statistic:
- That's equivalent to 12 songs identified for every person on Earth. - A person would need to use Shazam to identify a song every second for 3,168 years to reach 100 billion. - That's more than 2,200x the number of identifications of Shazam's top song ever, "Dance Monkey," with over 45 million tags. - Shazam Predictions 2023 alum Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things" was the first track released this year to hit 10 million recognitions, and the fastest, doing so in 178 days. At that pace, it would take more than 4,800 years for it to hit 100 billion.
Apple acquired Shazam in 2018, and it now powers the Music Recognition feature built into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Shazam is deeply integrated across Apple's software platforms, including in Control Center, Siri, as an Action button option on iPhone 15 Pro models and all iPhone 16 models, as a Smart Stack widget on the Apple Watch, and more.
The playlist below includes Shazam's top 100 most-identified songs, with the list currently topped by the 2019 song "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I.
Amazon today has knocked the price off of multiple M3 MacBook Air models, with as much as $300 off select computers. Prices start at $849.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), and also include multiple 15-inch models as well.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
All of these deals have been applied automatically and do not require an on-page coupon in order to see the final sale prices. Apple introduced the M3 MacBook Air back in March, and last month it increased the starting RAM to 16GB, from 8GB.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Uber has announced that it will be releasing a Home Screen widget for the iPhone today, allowing users to request a ride in as little as two taps.
The widget can display your saved addresses for home and work, or you can tap on the magnifying glass icon to quickly search for another address.
We do not see the widget yet. It will likely be added in an update to the Uber app later today.
The widget is one of several new features that Uber is introducing ahead of the busy travel season in the U.S., which kicks off with Thanksgiving next week. Other additions include a new UberXXL vehicle option, UberX Share at airports for discounted rides with one other passenger, and more, with complete details outlined in Uber's press release.
UberXXL lets you request a vehicle with larger trunk space for your baggage on rides to and from airports. The feature is now available at more than 60 airports across the U.S., Canada, and select other countries, and it will expand to more airports later.
This article explains how to erase and factory reset your Mac if you plan to give it away, sell it, or trade it in. Apple silicon Macs and Intel Macs with a T2 security chip (2017-2020 models) have an "Erase All Content and Settings" option available in macOS Monterey and later. If you have an older pre-2017 Mac, it's a more convoluted process – follow this link instead to erase and factory reset your machine.
Traditionally, wiping a Mac and returning it to factory settings involved manually signing out of a range of services, erasing your Mac's internal drive, then reinstalling macOS. These steps are quite involved when you consider how easy it is to wipe an iPhone or iPad (Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Erase All Content and Settings).
Fortunately, Apple includes the same option on newer Macs running macOS Monterey and later. Erase All Content and Settings in macOS offers a very simple and straightforward way to erase your Mac without needing to reinstall the operating system. Thanks to the way storage is encrypted on Macs with Apple silicon or the T2 chip, the option is able to instantly and securely "erase" all user date by destroying the encryption keys.
Not only does this effectively erase all user data and user-installed apps from your Mac without reinstalling macOS, it also signs out your Apple Account from a range of services, removes any Touch ID fingerprints, purchases, and all Apple Wallet items, and turns off Find My and Activation Lock, making it far easier to restore your Mac to like-new factory settings.
The following steps show you how it's done. Whether you simply want to start fresh with your Mac or are planning to sell or gift your computer to another person, after erasing it using this option, your Mac will display the Setup Assistant and be ready to be set up like new.
Click the Apple () symbol in the menu bar and select System Settings (System Preferences... if you're not running macOS Ventura or later).
If you're running macOS Ventura or later, select General in the sidebar, then choose Transfer or Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings.... Otherwise, select System Preferences -> Erase All Content and Settings from the menu bar.
Enter your admin password in the Erase Assistant dialog prompt and click OK.
If you haven't already backed up your important data, heed the onscreen Time Machine advice. Otherwise, click Continue.
Note all the settings, data, media, and other items that will be removed. Click Continue if you're sure.
Enter the password for your Apple Account to sign out, click Continue, then click Erase All Content & Settings in the prompt to confirm.
After following these steps, allow the erase process to complete. Your Mac may restart more than once during the process. Once finished, you'll see the "hello" message on your Mac's screen, indicating that your Mac has been restored to factory settings and Setup Assistant is ready to start anew.
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence.
The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through prioritized data access, offering improved speeds and lower latency for activities like gaming and video streaming. Previously, customers had limited ways to confirm the service was enabled beyond checking technical network settings. With the new label, Turbo subscribers can easily verify when the $7 monthly add-on is active on their line.
Some users have said they aren't too happy about the longer carrier text in their iPhone's status bar, but others don't mind it since it gives them a clear visual indicator of their premium network status. AT&T says that the icon can appear sometimes when Turbo is inactive, such as when connected to Wi-Fi or when a customer's hotspot allotment is exceeded.
Remedy Entertainment has announced that Control Ultimate Edition will launch on Mac on February 12, 2025. The award-winning action-adventure game has garnered over 80 industry accolades since its 2019 debut, and two expansions in the intervening years have kept the franchise alive.
The Ultimate Edition includes the base game alongside its two major expansions, "The Foundation" and "AWE," plus all post-launch updates. Inspired by the new weird literary genre, the supernatural third-person action game puts players in the role of Jesse Faden as she explores the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control, wielding telekinetic powers and transforming weapons.
Remedy's announcement was spotted by Engadget during the company's Capital Markets Day presentation to investors. While specific Mac system requirements haven't been revealed, the game will presumably require an M-series chip to run effectively, given its demanding graphics and physics engine.
The developer also confirmed that work continues on Control 2, though no further details about the sequel were shared. Control Ultimate Edition previously launched on Windows PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms, so this will be its first appearance on macOS.
Graykey, a forensics tool used by law enforcement officials to break into locked iPhones, has limited access to iOS 18 and iOS 18.0.1, 404 Media recently learned. The site secured documents that describe Graykey's functionality in-depth, giving us a look at what the device is capable of.
Graykey parent company Magnet Forensics does not share information about the tool, and complete details about the devices that Graykey can unlock have not surfaced before.
Most iPhones that run iOS 18 or iOS 18.0.1 are listed as eligible for a "partial" unlock, though the iPhone 11 models can seemingly be unlocked in full. Data on iOS 18.1, a newer version of iOS, isn't included in the document, but iOS 18.1 betas were listed as inaccessible.
It's not clear what "partial" access means or what data can be garnered from iPhones with that access listing, but it might mean that law enforcement are limited to unencrypted files, file size information, and folder structure. On more vulnerable devices, Graykey can unlock an iPhone with a 4-digit passcode in mere minutes, while longer passcodes can take hours.
Graykey takes advantage of iPhone vulnerabilities to unlock devices, and its capabilities can change as Apple patches security flaws. In 2018, for example, Apple disabled Graykey with an update to iOS 12, but new vulnerabilities were found that restored functionality. Eventually, Magnet Forensics may be able to find a flaw that will allow Graykey to get into iOS 18 devices as well.
Earlier this year, a leak from Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite suggested that its tools are unable to unlock iPhones that are running iOS 17.4 or later, but it is now able to access devices running iOS 17.5.1.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News 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.
Instagram parent company Meta today said that it is testing a new tool that's designed to allow users to reset their content recommendations for "a fresh start." Using the reset tool removes prior data that's used to power Explore, Reels, and Feed recommendations.
Recommendations will start to personalize over time, providing content recommendations based on the content and accounts that users interact with. Using the reset option will provide users with an option to review the accounts they're following to unfollow content they no longer want to see, and review ad topics.
The tool is designed for teen users, but Instagram is planning to make it available to all users following the test period. The feature will roll out globally "soon."
Google today revamped its Switch to Android app for the iPhone and iPad, introducing a streamlined interface, a new icon, and changing the name to Android Switch as part of a rebranding effort to lure new iPhone users.
The app is designed to make it easy for iPhone users to swap over to an Android-based device like a Google Pixel. It can transfer contacts, calendar events, photos, and videos, and it includes reminders to turn off iMessage to swap to RCS/SMS.
Google has also changed some of the wording on its Switch to Android website to reflect the new app name. The Switch to Android site walks through some of the common concerns that iPhone users might have about switching platforms, such as texting, sharing files, making video calls, and transitioning accessories.
With RCS, Google says Android users can text iPhone users with no issues, and the company recommends Google Meet as an alternative to FaceTime. There's no Android to iPhone replacement for AirDrop, but Google says that Quick Share can be used to share files with Android, ChromeOS, and Windows PC devices.
Aside from design updates and a new look for the app, the basic functionality of the Android Switch app appears to be the same as before.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
