MacRumors

Apple this morning released the fourth beta of iOS 13 for developers, introducing bug fixes and adding and refining iOS 13 features.

Now that we're into the fourth beta, changes and updates are getting more minor, but there are still some small but notable tweaks that are worth highlighting in today's beta.

- Quick Actions - There's a refreshed look for Quick Actions on the Home screen, which adds a new "Rearrange Apps" option that lets you quickly get to the wiggle mode that allows apps to be moved around.

- Quick Actions Menu Size - The menu that pops up when using a Quick Action is also smaller in size with less obtrusive icons that have also been relocated to the right side of the menu interface.

- 3D Touch Settings - In the Accessibility section of the Settings app, there are new options for 3D Touch in the 3D & Haptic Touch section (which was previously just ‌3D Touch‌). There's a new "Touch Duration" section alongside the sensitivity slider. The Touch Duration option changes the amount of time it takes to reveal content previews, actions, and contextual menus.

- Share Sheet - Some minor design changes have been made to the Share Sheet in iOS 13, tweaking the colors and adding some transparency.

- Voice Messages - When using the option in Messages to record a voice-based message, there's a new icon for the option. It's now a waveform rather than a microphone icon.

- Widgets - When editing Widgets in the Today View, you'll see a new look for the edit button, which is now pill-shaped rather than circular.

Know of a feature that's new in iOS 13 beta 4 that we left out? Make sure to let us know in the comments and we'll update this article.

A security vulnerability in the Bluetooth communication protocol has the potential to allow malicious actors to track and identify devices from Apple and Microsoft, according to new research from Boston University that was highlighted by ZDNet.

Apple devices including Macs, iPhones, iPads, and the Apple Watch are impacted, as are Microsoft tablets and laptops. Android devices are not affected.

As outlined in the research paper [PDF], Bluetooth devices use public channels to announce their presence to other devices.

To prevent tracking, most devices broadcast a randomized address that periodically changes rather than a Media Access Control (MAC) address, but the researchers have found that it is possible to extract identifying tokens that allow a device to be tracked even when this randomized address changes by exploiting the address-carryover algorithm.

We present an online algorithm called the address-carryover algorithm, which exploits the fact that identifying tokens and the random address do not change in sync, to continuously track a device despite implementing anonymization measures. To our knowledge, this approach affects all Windows 10, iOS, and macOS devices.

The algorithm does not require message decryption or breaking Bluetooth security in any way, as it is based entirely on public, unencrypted advertising traffic.

The tracking method explained in the research paper has the potential to allow for an identity-exposing attack that allows for "permanent, non-continuous tracking," plus an iOS side-channel that "allows insights into user activity."

iOS or macOS devices have two identifying tokens (nearby, handoff) which change in different intervals. In many cases, the values of the identifying tokens change in sync with the address. However, in some cases the token change does not happen in the same moment, which allows the carry-over algorithm to identify the next random address.

Android devices do not use the same advertising approach as Microsoft and Apple, and are immune to the data tracking methods used by the researchers.

It's not clear if the method described has been used by any bad actors for the purpose of tracking Apple devices using Bluetooth, but it would be undetectable as it does not require breaking Bluetooth security. The research paper contains several recommendations on how to mitigate the tracking vulnerability, and Apple is often quick to patch any security issues that come up, so we could see a fix for this problem in the near future.

Apple is renewing its "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" show for a third season, Apple announced on YouTube today via James Corden's YouTube channel. The new season is already in production and will feature an episode with the cast of hit Netflix show "Stranger Things."

First launched in 2017, "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" is based on the "Carpool Karaoke" segment made popular by late night talk show host James Corden.

Apple's version of the show pairs up celebrities, musicians, athletes, and more, putting them in a car together to sing popular songs.

Last season featured pairings like Jason Sudeikis and the Muppets, Matthew McConaughey and Snoop Dogg, Weird Al paired and Andy Samberg, Nick Offerman and his wife Megan Mullally, Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson, and more.

While "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" was initially developed as a way to promote Apple Music, Apple has been making the episodes available for free through the TV app. Previously, it was limited to ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers.

The second season of "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" began airing in October 2018, so third season episodes could come this fall.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of iOS 13 and iPadOS to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the third betas and more than a month after unveiling the new operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Registered developers will need to download the profile for the iOS 13 and iPadOS betas from Apple's Developer Center. Beta 4, like earlier betas, can be downloaded over-the-air once the proper profile has been installed.

Apple split iOS 13 and iPadOS into separate updates in 2019, one designed for iPhone and one designed for iPad. iPadOS is identical to iOS 13 in almost every way, though there are some iPad-specific features such as new multitasking capabilities. For the most part, the two operating systems share the same features.

iOS 13 is a huge update with a long list of new features. Perhaps the most noticeable outward-facing change is a systemwide Dark Mode that changes the entire look of the operating system from light to dark, darkening everything from system elements to apps.

Apple overhauled the Photos app, introducing a new ‌Photos‌ tab that curates your entire ‌Photos‌ library and shows you a selection of highlights organized by day, month, or year, and there are revamped Photo editing tools.

For the first time, you can edit video right in the ‌Photos‌ app, cropping, rotating, applying filters, and adjusting lighting and color. There's a new High-Key Mono lighting effect, and for Portrait Lighting in general, intensity can be adjusted.

There's a less obtrusive volume HUD, a new Find My app that combines ‌Find My‌ ‌iPhone‌ and ‌Find My‌ Friends and lets you track your devices even with they don't have an LTE or WiFi connection.

A Sign In with Apple feature (not yet active) gives you a convenient and data safe way to sign into apps and websites, providing an alternative to Facebook and Google sign in options. Apple's even able to generate single-use randomized email addresses so you don't have to give your real info to apps and websites.

Maps features a new street-level "Look Around" mode and a Collections feature for making lists of places, Reminders has been entirely overhauled to make it more functional, there's a profile option in Messages along with new Memoji and Animoji stickers, and Siri has a new voice.

CarPlay in iOS 13 has been overhauled with a new look, multiple sets of AirPods (or Powerbeats Pro) can be connected to the same phone so you can share music with a friend, ‌Siri‌ on HomePod can detect multiple voices for multi-user support, and ‌HomePod‌ also supports Handoff.

There are a ton of additional new features and changes coming in iOS 13, and for a full rundown of what you can expect, you should check out our iOS 13 roundup. Each new beta brings new features and changes to iOS 13, and the third beta introduced a FaceTime Attention Correction option, changes to Split View to make it more obvious which window is being typed in, a Me tab for the ‌Find My‌ app, and more.

The beta testing period will allow Apple to work out bugs ahead of the release of iOS 13 and iPadOS, and it will let developers build iOS 13 and iPadOS features into their apps ahead of a public release coming this fall.

What's New in iOS 13 Beta 4

- Quick Actions - There's a refreshed look for Quick Actions on the Home screen, which adds a new "Rearrange Apps" option that lets you quickly get to the wiggle mode that allows apps to be moved around.

Messages - In the Messages app, if you tap with two fingers on the display, it brings up the interface for selecting and deleting messages.

The Information's Wayne Ma has published an interesting story about the measures Apple takes to prevent leaks of unreleased products like iPhones from emerging out of factories within its Asian supply chain.

After photos of the colorful iPhone 5c leaked in 2013, the report claims Apple created a "New Product Security" team to monitor security at its most sensitive suppliers in China. At one point, the team reportedly topped more than 30 people, but Apple is said to have been moving some of the work to contractors as of late.

Apple recruited former U.S. military and intelligence operatives fluent in Chinese to be security managers on the team, and hired third-party auditors tasked with visiting factories on a weekly basis, the report adds.

The security team is said to have uncovered workers going to extreme lengths to smuggle valuable components out of factories over the years, with some attempting to hide parts in crawl spaces, tissue boxes, shoes, belt buckles, bras, used mop water, under discarded metal shavings, and beyond.

Apple once even caught factory workers "digging a small tunnel in a corner of a room behind a large piece of machinery," hoping to use it to funnel stolen components to the outside, according to the report. "People were chipping away little by little at the wall 'Shawshank Redemption' style," one person said.

Over the years, Apple has tightened its security protocols even further to prevent leaks.

Examples from the report: trash bags must be clear and screened for metal before they are removed from the premises, storage containers must be sealed with tamper-evident stickers, parts must have unique serial numbers that can be traced back to specific factory lines, and inventory must be counted daily.

Suppliers who suffer leaks may face multi-million-dollar fines, according to the report, although Apple's primary manufacturer Foxconn is said to be excluded from this policy due to the size of its relationship with Apple.

The full article at The Information is a fascinating read, with several more details about Apple's efforts to curb leaks. A subscription is required.

Today is World Emoji Day, and in celebration of emojis, Adobe released its 2019 Emoji Trend Report, giving us some insight into the most popular emoji characters that people are using. For its report, Adobe surveyed 1,000 emoji users in the United States.

The most popular emoji was the laughing face with tears of joy (😂), while the heart (❤️) came in second and the face blowing a kiss (😘) was the third most popular emoji. Top pairings included heart eyes/face blowing a kiss (😍😘), laughing face with tears of joy/rolling on the floor laughing face (😂🤣), and face blowing a kiss/red heart (😘❤️).

Among emoji users, 62 percent said they use emoji to make conversations more fun, while 42 percent said they use them to better communicate thoughts and feelings. 31 percent said they use emoji to feel more connected to people, 31 percent said using emojis is faster than typing words, and 30 percent said they use emojis because they paint a clearer picture than words.

Women were most likely to use the 😂, ❤️, and 😘 emojis, respectively, while men favored 😂, 😁, and 😢. 93 percent of all emoji users said emojis lighten the mood of a conversation, while 91 percent said they use emojis to show support to people.

Specific emojis are used to represent different moods, as outlined in Adobe's graphic below:

81 percent of emoji users believe that people who use emojis are friendlier and more approachable, and when asked about the benefits of emoji 94 percent cited the ability to communicate across language barriers while 94 percent cited the usefulness of emojis to instantly share thoughts and ideas.

65 percent of emoji users said they were more comfortable expressing emotions via emoji rather than a phone call, something more prevalent among younger Generation Z individuals. Emoji users are most likely to include emojis in text messages, and among social networks, emoji usage is highest on Facebook.

When it comes to emoji at work, 61 percent said that they use emojis in a work context. 78 percent said emojis positively impact likability, 63 percent said emojis impact credibility, and 74 percent said emojis make positive news more sincere.

58 percent of emoji users said they're more likely to open up an email from a brand that uses emoji in the subject line, and 44 percent said that they're more likely to purchase products advertised using emojis.

76 percent of emoji users wish there were more emoji, specifically emojis representing food, drinks, and snacks. Emoji users also want more emojis related to animals and insects, emotions, and hand gestures, plus more representation/diversity.

Adobe's full emoji report, which includes additional details on how, when, and why people use emojis, can be accessed through Adobe's emoji blog.

Emojis have become an increasingly important part of the smartphone ecosystem in recent years, and Apple has embraced emoji, regularly adding new emoji characters following Unicode Consortium updates. Apple is set to add new emoji at some point in iOS 13 as earlier this year, the Unicode Consortium finalized its list of 2019 emojis.

Emojis we can expect to see in 2019 include flamingo, otter, waffle, butter, sloth, white heart, people holding hands, ice cube, snorkel, ballet shoe, orangutan, juice box, falafel, juice box, skunk, and more.

Note: Because emoji do not display properly on the MacRumors forums at the current time, please view this post on the MacRumors site to see the full emoji characters mentioned.

Apple has asked one of its manufacturing partners to ready components for use in rear Time-of-Flight (ToF) camera lenses said to be coming to next year's iPhone lineup, according to DigiTimes.

Apple has reportedly asked its supply chain partner to supply VCSEL components for use in rear ToF camera lens in its mobile devices to be released in 2020, according to supply chain sources.

Multiple sources have claimed that Apple's 2020 iPhones will include a laser-powered time-of-flight 3D rear camera that will result in significant improvements to AR experiences, including Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

VCSELs, or vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, are a key component of Apple's TrueDepth camera in the ‌iPhone‌ XR, XS, and XS Max, and power several flagship features like Face ID, Animoji and Portrait mode selfies, as well as the proximity-sensing capabilities of AirPods. However, a ToF camera system is a major step up from TrueDepth due to its more advanced use of laser.

TrueDepth relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user's face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. By contrast, ToF calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a 3D image of the environment. This allows for more accurate depth perception and better placement of virtual objects, and should also result in photos better able to capture depth.

Bloomberg says that the rear camera in Apple's 2020 iPhones will be able to scan areas up to 15 feet from the device. Apple's front-facing TrueDepth camera uses 3D technology but its structured-light system only works at distances of 25 to 50 centimeters.

Apple is said to have gained a two-year lead over its rivals in the smartphone industry in the area of 3D sensing technology, having secured the necessary hardware way in advance of competitors. Sony could be the ToF supplier that DigiTimes is referring to in the paywalled article, as Apple has reportedly been in talks with Sony over ToF sensor tests. Although in December 2017, Apple said it planned to invest $390 million in Finisar Corp, which currently supplies the components for VCSELs.

At the time, Apple said its Finisar investment would enable the supplier to exponentially increase its R&D spending and high-volume production of VCSELs. Apple initially sourced VCSELs for 2017's ‌iPhone‌ X chiefly from California-based Lumentum, but it was bottlenecks in production there that helped spur the $390 million deal with Finisar.

Lumentum subsequently ramped up additional manufacturing capacity for VCSELs and edge-emitting lasers in the first half of fiscal 2019. Another producer, Austria-based Ams, also makes VCSEL chips, and in March 2018 said it had won a large deal with an unnamed smartphone maker, so there are a few potential suppliers that Apple could be leaning on.

There were originally some rumors suggesting Apple would introduce a rear 3D camera system in its 2019 iPhones, but Kuo said that wouldn't happen because Apple needs 5G connectivity, augmented reality glasses, and a more powerful Apple Maps database to truly take advantage of the AR capabilities afforded by a ToF camera.

Bloomberg has since confirmed that Apple was aiming to put the 3D rear camera system in this year's iPhones, but ultimately had to delay its plans. Whether that decision is related to rumors that Apple has had to temporarily stop developing AR/VR headsets remains unclear.