Facebook today announced that it will remove its "Trending" section from the web and all mobile devices starting next week, in an effort to "make way for future news experiences." Facebook says that its users have found Trending "less and less useful," leading to the closure of the section, which stacks the latest news articles from the day into various categories.
On the web, Trending is found on the right toolbar, but in iOS it's a bit more buried in the More tab > Explore > Trending News. Facebook launched the section in 2014, but it's since only been available in five countries and accounts for "less than 1.5 percent of clicks to news publishers on average." The removal of Trending will also mark the elimination of products and third-party partner integrations that rely on Trends API.
We’re removing Trending soon to make way for future news experiences on Facebook.
We’ve seen that the way people consume news on Facebook is changing to be primarily on mobile and increasingly through news video. So we’re exploring new ways to help people stay informed about timely, breaking news that matters to them, while making sure the news they see on Facebook is from trustworthy and quality sources.
In its place, the social media company outlined three ways it will keep users in the know about breaking news. One is a "Breaking News Label," which is a simple indicator publishers can place on their posts in a user's News Feed, as well as breaking news notifications. There is also a test for a new "Today In" section to connect users to important news from local publishers in their own cities.
Lastly, there will be new videos to view in Facebook Watch thanks to a dedicated section in the United States where users can check out exclusive live coverage, daily news briefings, and weekly deep dives. Facebook has long been attempting to expand its video presence within the mobile Facebook apps, debuting Watch last August for its exclusive video and TV content.
Yesterday, we reported on Apple's opening of a new technology hub in Oregon, along with the hiring of several former senior Intel engineers. Oregon is the site of Intel's Hillsboro facilities, featuring the chipmaker's leading-edge 14 nm and 10 nm foundries, as well as CPU design expertise for desktop-class processor thermal budgets. A search of Apple's open positions indicated there were several openings for hardware engineers with backgrounds in computer architecture and silicon verification.
Intel's Ronler Acres campus in Hillsboro (Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian)
Digging deeper into these job positions reveals keywords indicating performance validation in non-iOS workloads, as well as a heavy focus on memory concepts such as memory controllers, memory hierarchy, and cache coherency protocols. The focus on the memory subsystem is significant because this is one area where mobile device and PC form factor usage models differ based on their power consumption profiles, along with PCs featuring tools that can stress a memory system in ways not typically seen in mobile device workloads.
PC systems also tend to feature much higher memory bandwidths, due to both wider memory busses and higher memory clocks. Apple is often rumored to be working on an ARM-based MacBook, but such a device would likely feature some variant of LPDDR memory seen in Apple's mobile devices, as well as Apple's entire line of MacBooks.
This means that Apple already has the necessary memory controller designs to interface with LPDDR memory. Apple is also no stranger to the 128-bit memory busses seen in MacBook Pros with LPDDR3 RAM, along with previous iPad iterations featuring a 128-bit memory bus.
Given this information, the focus on memory subsystem could indicate a higher performance target for the memory system, with memory bandwidths more reflective of desktop or workstation class devices where memory bandwidth can reach into the hundreds of gigabytes per second.
Perhaps the most demanding component of a memory subsystem in custom SoC destined for macOS devices is the GPU. On the iOS side, Apple recently shifted from licensing Imagination Technologies' family of PowerVR GPUs to designing its own custom GPUs. Additionally, Apple's Orlando-based GPU design center has gone through several hiring spurts, and is also hiring now, including a position for a platform architect aimed at creating a family of GPUs across multiple Apple platforms.
The inclusion of a GPU on an Apple custom SoC destined for macOS devices would need several gigabytes of dedicated RAM, with memory bandwidth well into the hundreds of gigabytes to run modern games on the Retina screens featured in many Mac products. Depending on the die size allocated to its solution, Apple could potentially replace the Intel chips with integrated graphics in its lower performing MacBook products or even replace the dedicated GPUs found in its higher-end notebook offerings. Desktop-class machines would likely need a separate discrete GPU due to power and cooling constraints, as well as allowing a general ramp-up of GPU sizes and complexities.
For comparison, the CPUs and APUs with integrated graphics found in modern notebooks and desktop systems are typically in the 200–400 mm^2 die size range, whereas Apple's mobile solutions tend to hover around 100 mm^2. Apple has already achieved performance rivaling Intel CPUs featured in laptops with its latest A11 chip, and allowing its designs to scale up in core counts and power consumption would help it compete with the higher core count CPUs featured in today's higher performing notebooks and desktops.
Additionally, Apple is well positioned to take the leap into higher performing products after demonstrating several generations of custom CPU architectures, including its own instruction set extensions to the underlying ARMv8 ISA. Apple was behind the genesis of the effort that would eventually become ARM as we know it today, and its architecture ambitions have been clear for quite a while. The question of custom Apple-designed CPUs destined for notebooks and desktop systems seems less a question of capability, and one more focused on will and perceived market advantage.
Apple is widely rumored to release what will essentially be a lower-priced but lesser-featured iPhone X later this year. Ahead of then, renders have surfaced that may reveal what the device will look like.
Steve Hemmerstoffer, who runs the OnLeaks account on Twitter, has teamed up with the blog MySmartPrice to share photos and a video of the alleged 6.1-inch iPhone, expected to be announced in September alongside the second-generation iPhone X and a larger 6.5-inch model dubbed the iPhone X Plus.
In addition to the 6.1-inch display, the renders suggest the device will have a notch like the iPhone X, presumably for Face ID given the lack of a home button. The device also has a glass back, making wireless charging a possibility, and an aluminum frame like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
The renders also suggest the device will sport a single rear camera, whereas the iPhone X has a dual setup with telephoto and wide-angle lenses.
The rest of the device is par for course for an iPhone, with a Lightning connector and speaker grilles along the bottom, volume buttons and a mute switch along the left side, and a power button on the right side.
The renders corroborate information previously shared by former KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who also said the 6.1-inch iPhone will feature a single-lens rear camera and aluminum frame. He also said it will have an LCD, 3GB of RAM, and perhaps most interesting of all, apparently lack 3D Touch.
Kuo said the 6.1-inch iPhone will be priced from between $700 and $800 in the United States, so tradeoffs were inevitable, including the lack of an OLED, stainless steel frame, 3D Touch, and dual-lens rear camera system. The 6.1-inch iPhone could also be slightly thicker at 8.3mm, versus the iPhone X at 7.7mm.
Earlier today, Korean website The Bell claimed the 6.1-inch iPhone might not launch until November, but the more likely scenario is that Apple unveils and releases all of its new iPhones in September, as the company has reportedly resolved the supply chain issues that led to a staggered rollout last year.
As Apple continues to face a legal battle with the European Commission concerning the regulator's claim that Apple received illegal state aid from Ireland and owes billions in back taxes, the latest development has seen the Cupertino company decline an invitation to testify before a special committee on the tax evasion claims (via Reuters).
According to a letter to the European Parliament shared on Twitter today by Parliament member Sven Giegold, Apple said it "will not be able to participate in a public hearing" on the topic of tax evasion.
The company's senior director for European government affairs, Claire Thwaites, explained that while the company appeals the Commission's decision alleging state aid from Ireland, "it is important to ensure public commentary does not prejudice those proceedings."
This is rotten! #Apple refuses to testify before the special committee on tax evasion of the European Parliament. No company stands above democracy! We should now withdraw Apple's lobby badges to access to the Parliament! This is the company's letter: pic.twitter.com/U2I4G6jNp9
— Sven Giegold (@sven_giegold) June 1, 2018
Because of this, Apple fears its presence at the June 21 EU hearing "could be detrimental" to its appeal, and "any potential appeals thereafter." Thwaites ended the letter by stating Apple would, however, be open to meeting privately with Committee members to address questions on its decision.
Since the appeal is ongoing and likely to be heard at the General Court in the near future we will not be able to participate in a public hearing on this topic as it could be detrimental to the proceedings at the Court, and any potential appeals thereafter.
I'd like to emphasize that we have the deepest respect for the Committee, it's members and the important work you are undertaking. We would be happy to meet privately with you or other Committee members and address any questions you may have.
Despite Apple's appeal, the company has started paying the 13 billion euros in back taxes to the Irish government this month. Like the wording in Thwaites' letter today, Apple has remained adamant that the company follows the law and pays "every cent of tax" it owes "in every country" it operates. In the wake of the legal battle, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the decision "total political crap" back in 2016, saying that "the decision is wrong, and it's not based on law or facts, it's based on politics. And I think it's very important that we stand up and say that very loudly."
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.
A new report suggests that the next flagship smartphones from Apple and Samsung could be equipped with three rear-facing cameras.
A triple-lens iPhone X mockup by Martin Hajek via iDrop News
The Korea Herald claims that the so-called iPhone X Plus, the widely rumored 6.5-inch version of the iPhone X expected to be announced this September, and Samsung's next-generation Galaxy S10, likely to be released in early 2019, will both sport a trio of lenses on the backside.
The prediction about the Galaxy S10 comes from Kim Dong-won, an analyst with investment firm KB Securities, based in South Korea:
Samsung, which has a lower-than-expected demand for its latest Galaxy S9 lineup, will consider to equip its next premium phone with the triple cameras and a 3-D sensor to reinvigorate its smartphone business.
The prediction about the iPhone X Plus is only briefly mentioned in what is otherwise a Samsung-focused report:
One of Apple's next premium smartphones, reportedly named as the iPhone X Plus, is also anticipated to come fitted with three camera lenses on the rear.
While this the fourth time we've heard about an upcoming iPhone with three rear cameras, all of the earlier reports have suggested it will be a 2019 move at the earliest, so the chances this is a 2018 move seem unlikely.
Earlier this year, for example, former KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the 6.5-inch iPhone will have a dual-lens rear camera.
Huawei P20 Pro
The Korea Herald could be right about the what, but wrong about the when. Triple-lens smartphones are only just reaching the market, starting with the Huawei P20 Pro in March, and Apple often waits to perfect a technology rather than rushing to include a feature to compete with the best possible tech specs.
In the end, 2019 could end up being the year of triple-lens smartphones, starting with the Galaxy S10 in the spring and the iPhone in the fall.
The third lens would likely enable 3x optical zoom on an iPhone for the first time, enabling users to magnify the image in the viewfinder by up to three times without a blurry reduction in quality like digital zoom. iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models feature 2x optical zoom for comparison.
Ahead of the impending arrival of Unicode 11 on June 5, Emojipedia today published an article about all of the emoji characters that will be launching on Apple devices later this year. While these characters were known, the site also looked forward a bit and briefly detailed what users can expect from Unicode 12 coming in March 2019.
On the short list for impending release in 2019 are the Flamingo and White Heart, which are the two "most requested" emojis by Emojipedia readers this year. Otherwise, the following emoji candidates have been drafted for potential launch next year: Diving Mask, Axe, Waffle, Diya Lamp, and Hindu Temple. All of these candidates have also received mockups, seen below, except Waffle.
2019 Emoji concepts via Emojipedia
At this time, these emojis are still only candidates for inclusion in Unicode 12, "and no decisions have been made about the final emoji list for 2019." Emojipedia has been expanding the Unicode 12 candidates list over the past few weeks, now including characters like Yawning Face, Ballet Shoes, Sloth, Butter, Stethoscope, Ringed Planet, and more.
For Unicode 11 in 2018, users can expect social media companies to adopt the new emojis sometime over the summer, while Apple and other smartphone makers will likely add all of the new characters into OS updates in the fall. As a reminder, some of the new emojis include Parrot, Llama, Lobster, Softball, Kangaroo, Partying Face, and more. Check out a glimpse below:
Emojis coming in 2018
If going by traditional releases, Apple should add in these new characters to iOS, macOS, and watchOS devices around September 2018. The company might also provide further details about the incoming 2018 emojis in a press release later this summer, as it did on World Emoji Day last year, in addition to giving the iTunes Movies store an emoji-themed makeover.
Sketchy claims that Apple's "iPhone SE 2" could boast an iPhone X-esque display apparently refuse to go away, with the latest addition to the rumor pile coming courtesy of Sonny Dickson.
Earlier today the parts leaker posted an image on Twitter of a supposed iPhone SE 2 screen protector that appears to share a similar notch-design to the one Apple uses to house the iPhone X's facial recognition sensors in lieu of Touch ID fingerprint recognition.
iPhone SE 2 (left) iPhone X (right) screen protectors. SE appears to share the design, however smaller notch. pic.twitter.com/PCJaPkgAOR
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) June 1, 2018
The comparison shot also shows an actual iPhone X screen protector (right) beside the allegedly leaked one in order to highlight the smaller notch that would presumably be destined for the smaller form factor phone.
Unconfirmed renders and dimensions of the next iPhone SE obtained by MacRumors from casemaker Olixar claim the device will have a length of 4.7 inches and a width of 2.1 inches, making it slightly smaller than the current model but with a larger display thanks to the fuller-screen design. They also suggest the device's notch will be around half as wide as the one on the iPhone X, but the idea that it might house facial recognition sensors still seems far-fetched.
Apart from the technological hurdles that Apple would have to overcome to achieve the unlikely feat, it's hard to imagine that Apple would include Face ID on the iPhone SE at all without hiking up the price significantly. Including the feature on an iPhone that starts at just $349 would reduce Apple's gross margins and risk cannibalizing sales of the iPhone X, which starts at $999.
Those issues put the whole notch-design in doubt, given that the lack of a home button would require some other method of user authentication. Some rival smartphones have recently featured integrated screen fingerprint sensors, but Apple has suggested it won't be following that approach ever since it developed its TrueDepth camera recognition system.
Apple hasn't properly refreshed the iPhone SE since it launched back in March 2016, but it did double the available storage capacities in March 2017. Rumors about an updated model have been contradictory in recent months, but they can be distilled into two camps: one hoping for a iPhone X-like design, and another expecting a minor refresh.
There are several reasons why you should consider using a passcode on your Apple Watch. Without one, you won't be able to use Apple Pay to make contactless transactions using the device, nor will you be able to use it to automatically unlock your Mac.
But apart from losing out on functionality, not using a passcode on your watch means that anyone who got hold of it could potentially gain access to your Health and other app data, and possibly more besides.
Using a passcode on your Apple Watch isn't like having one on your iPhone or iPad, because you don't have to enter it every time you use your watch. You'll only be prompted for it if you remove your Apple Watch from your wrist or if the watch is restarted. Also unlike iOS devices, if you ever forget your Apple Watch passcode, there are steps you can take to regain access.
With those benefits in mind, here's how to set up your Apple Watch passcode.
Apps designed for the Mac often don't receive as much attention as apps for iOS devices, so we've launched a monthly series that highlights useful, interesting Mac apps that are worth checking out.
This month's app selection, outlined in the video and the post below, includes apps for managing and backing up your iPhone, transferring music between services, watching Netflix, keeping track of quick notes, and more. Many of the apps we've included this month were chosen by our forum members.
Stamp (Free) - Stamp is an app that lets you transfer playlists and music tracks from one streaming service to another. So if you're an Apple Music user and want to switch to Spotify, Stamp is the app to use. Stamp is free, but if you want to make unlimited song and playlist transfers, you'll need to shell out $9.99.
iMazing ($40) - iMazing is an iTunes alternative that's designed to allow you to manage the content on your iOS device. It lets you transfer files, photos, books, apps, and music to and from your iOS device or a new device, plus you can use it to create backups of all your content, archiving data like messages, contacts, books, and more.
Power Menu ($9.99) - Power Menu is a Finder extension that's customizable and able to add various actions to the right click menu and toolbar within Finder. Using Power Menu, you can create shortcuts for moving and copying files, creating new documents, editing with specific apps, sending via email, and more.
Thought Train (Free) - Thought Train is a simple free (pay-what-you-want) app that's meant to replace sticky notes. Thought Train lives in your Mac's menu bar and lets you enter quick reminders of things that you need to get done or thoughts you want to keep track of. Your entries can be set to scroll across the menu bar.
Friendly for Netflix (Free) - Friendly for Netflix is a free app that's designed to provide you with an alternative to the web browser for watching Netflix TV shows and movies on your Mac. It features trailers so you can preview shows, picture-in-picture functionality for watching a show while using another app, and Rotten Tomatoes ratings for every movie.
Do you have favorite must-have Mac apps that we haven't highlighted yet? Let us know what they are in the comments and we might feature them in a future video. Many of this month's picks came from our forum members.
For more of our Mac app picks, make sure to check out our lists from February, March, and April.
The Belkin Boost Up Bold Wireless Charging Pad is similar to the existing Belkin Boost Up Charging Pad, but it comes in a variety of colors that include pink, navy, black, and white.
It offers up to 10W output for fast charging on all Qi-enabled devices, and it supports the 7.5W charging necessary for fast wireless charging on the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.
The Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand features the same circular design and the same colors as the Bold, but it features a frame that holds the iPhone in an upright position allowing the iPhone to be charged in landscape or portrait mode without the need for it to be flat on a table.
Like the Charging Pad, the Charging Stand supports the faster 7.5W wireless charging specification for the iPhone.
Belkin's Bold Wireless Charging Pad is priced at $60, while the Wireless Charging Stand is priced at $70. Both can be purchased today from the Belkin website or from Amazon.com (Pad) (Stand).
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Belkin and may receive a small commission when you purchase a Belkin product.
Apple today released the first beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 update to public beta testers, one day after releasing the 10.13.6 update for developers. macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 comes as macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 remains in beta testing.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the new macOS High Sierra beta through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
No notable features or changes were discovered in the first beta of macOS 10.13.6 provided to developers, suggesting the new software focuses on bug fixes and other under-the-hood updates.
macOS 10.13.6 is likely to be one of the last updates to macOS High Sierra, as Apple is transitioning to macOS 10.14. macOS 10.14 will be unveiled next week at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
The tvOS 11.4.1 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under "System." "Get Public Beta Updates" will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.
No notable features or changes were discovered in the first developer beta of tvOS 11.4.1, suggesting this is a minor update.
Most tvOS updates have been minor in scale, and Apple does not provide detailed notes outlining what's new, so we may not know just what's included in tvOS 11.4.1 if it's only bug fixes.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming iOS 11.4.1 update to its public beta testing group, one day after seeding the beta to developers and just a few days after releasing iOS 11.4, which introduced AirPlay 2 and Messages in Cloud.
Beta testers who are members of Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 11.4.1 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.
Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. iOS betas are not always stable and should not be installed on a primary device.
There were no notable features discovered in iOS 11.4.1 in the first developer beta, suggesting it focuses on bug fixes and other minor improvements.
Apple has voiced support for a new Human Interface Device standard that will bring versatile support and overall improve the technology of future USB-connected Braille displays [PDF].
Set forth by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), a non-profit organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, the new standard will help make it easier for blind and low-vision users to use Braille displays "across operating systems" and with "different types of hardware." This way, users won't be locked into one ecosystem and can more easily go about reading and interacting with their devices no matter the manufacturer.
Additionally, the standard is set to simplify the development process by removing the need for Braille devices to have custom software and drivers created for a particular operating system or screen reader. According to Apple's director of global accessibility policy and initiatives, Sarah Herrlinger, the company is "proud" to help advance the new USB-IF standard.
“Technology should be accessible to everyone and Apple designs all products with that in mind,” said Sarah Herrlinger, director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives at Apple. “We’re proud to advance this new USB-IF standard because we believe in improving the experience for all people who rely on braille displays to use their Apple products or any other device.”
A few other executives from other companies chimed in on the news as well, including Microsoft accessibility program manager Jeff Petty, who said, "Developing a HID standard for braille displays is one example of how we can work together, across the industry, to advance technology in a way that benefits society and ultimately improve the unemployment rate for people with disabilities."
Helen Keller Services president and CEO Joseph Bruno applauded the USB-IF and its members like Apple, Intel, HP, Microsoft, and others, pointing out that the new standard will greatly reduce the friction that visually impaired, blind, or deaf-blind users can face when navigating between accessible devices. "It allows these individuals to more seamlessly connect to their favorite devices, which is a major step in helping them connect to the world around them."
Since the standard has just been detailed, no physical USB hardware products have yet to be shown off from any company. Currently, Apple has an entire accessibility store on Apple.com so users with disabilities can use devices crafted just for them to create music in GarageBand, navigate a Mac with a custom trackball, and more. There are no Braille-enabled devices sold by Apple yet, however, so the incoming HID standard could mark the first time that such a device is sold on Apple.com and potentially in retail locations.
Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference commences on Monday with an opening keynote, where the company previews the next major versions of its software platforms, and usually shares some other announcements.
Ahead of the keynote, Bloomberg's well-sourced Mark Gurman has outlined what he expects Apple to discuss on stage:
A series of Digital Health tools in the Settings app on iOS 12 that will help users monitor how much time they spend using their devices and individual apps, helping to address concerns about smartphone addiction.
ARKit 2, including a new mode that allows for a multiplayer mode in augmented reality games. Another mode is said to allow objects to be dropped into an area and virtually remain in place.
Apple could reveal its reported plans to allow iOS apps to run on Macs as early as this year. The wording suggests it's not entirely clear if Apple plans to discuss the project at WWDC or later.
Minor new features for snoozing notifications, tracking the stock market, making video calls, and sending Animojis via FaceTime.
Overall, Gurman expects this year's software updates across iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS to be more "muted," with "bigger changes later," as Apple has decided to focus more on the quality and stability improvements this year, according to an internal meeting the company reportedly held earlier this year.
Planned new iOS 12 features that have been shelved until 2019 are said to include a redesigned home screen with more information, an artificial intelligence upgrade to the Photos app, and new file-management tools for iPads.
Unfortunately for those hoping to see Apple refresh its product lineups at WWDC, Gurman suggests that "a suite of new gadgets is unlikely," although a surprise hardware announcement or two cannot be entirely ruled out. Hopefully, an update will also be provided about Apple's AirPower charging mat.
Gurman claims Apple is working on refreshed MacBook, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch models, and a new low-cost MacBook, but he doesn't expect any of those devices to be ready until "later this year."
Refreshes to the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro lines with next-generation Intel chips ready "later this year."
A pair of new Apple Watch models that keep the overall size of the current models, but include slightly larger, edge-to-edge screens. The new models are expected to support watch bands from existing models.
Gurman outlined most of these expectations in his previous reporting over the past year.
WWDC's opening keynote begins on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. MacRumors will be in attendance at the keynote, with live coverage both here on MacRumors.com and through our @MacRumorsLive account on Twitter.
MacRumors will also have pre-event coverage, beginning around 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and post-event hands-on coverage if applicable.
In April, the Russian government banned secure messaging app Telegram and this month asked Apple to remove it from the iOS App Store completely in the country, citing the potential for terrorist communication via the app since Telegram refused to allow Russia to read user messages. As this unfolds, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov posted an update for users early this morning in an effort to explain why some features "don't work correctly under iOS 11.4" (via ArsTechnica).
According to Durov, Apple has been "preventing" the Telegram iOS app from updating on a global scale, dating back to when Russia banned the app in April. Durov says that his company chose to do the "only possible thing" and refused to provide Russia with decryption keys to access user messages, "preserving the right of our users privacy in a troubled country."
He continued by stating, "Unfortunately, Apple didn't side with us." The CEO says Apple's restricting of Telegram dates back to mid-April and while Russia represents a small subset of its user base (7 percent), Apple's actions affect all Telegram users around the world. Because of this, the launch of iOS 11.4 on Tuesday has broken some Telegram features like stickers, and caused the company to miss its deadline for compliance with the GDPR for users in the European Union.
Apple has been preventing Telegram from updating its iOS apps globally ever since the Russian authorities ordered Apple to remove Telegram from the App Store. Russia banned Telegram on its territory in April because we refused to provide decryption keys for all our users’ communications to Russia’s security agencies. We believe we did the only possible thing, preserving the right of our users to privacy in a troubled country.
Unfortunately, Apple didn’t side with us. While Russia makes up only 7% of Telegram’s userbase, Apple is restricting updates for all Telegram users around the world since mid-April. As a result, we’ve also been unable to fully comply with GDPR for our EU-users by the deadline of May 25, 2018. We are continuing our efforts to resolve the situation and will keep you updated.
By missing the deadline, Telegram users in Europe won't have the same level of security and privacy in comparison to compliant apps, and a lack of updates could put the platform at a higher risk of vulnerability. Apple has yet to comment on the issue or explain its stance, but Durov hopes to "resolve the situation" soon as the company continues its efforts to get the iOS app up to date for all users.
This is far from the first time Telegram has been in hot water with both Apple and Russia. Earlier in February, Apple pulled Telegram from the App Store due to reports of "inappropriate content" being hosted on the messaging service, but it made a return a few hours after disappearing, once Telegram put additional protections in place.
For Russia, the government previously threatened a ban on Telegram last summer after repeated efforts to obtain more information about the company were ignored. While seemingly innocuous, Russia's request for a "form with information" on Telegram would effectively add the company to the state regulators' registry, further requiring Telegram to retain users' chats and to share encryption keys with Russian authorities if asked. Similar requests date back to 2014.
As of writing, Telegram Messenger for iOS was last updated on March 24, 2018.
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.
Netflix appears to be testing -- or slowly rolling out -- a new user interface control scheme for its iOS app, which enables an unobtrusive volume indicator and lets users jump forwards or backwards in a video with a quick double-tap gesture.
As spotted by Redditor mm2nam, the update brings Netflix's video controls closer to those of YouTube on iOS, which lets users double tap on the right edge of the screen to fast forward 10 seconds and on the left side to rewind 10 seconds. Netflix's implementation includes the double tap gesture, as well as physical buttons on the screen that appear after you tap once on the video to bring up the playback controls.
Quick time jump controls have become increasingly popular in a variety of apps and in certain products, with Apple itself using a similar feature on its Siri Remote for Apple TV. On fourth and fifth generation devices, users can swipe to the right and click to jump forward 10 seconds and the same to go back 10 seconds, as long as the app supports Apple's native playback controls.
In regards to the volume indicator, Netflix currently has a bit of an unclear method for this piece of UI: some users lack an indicator completely, while others still see Apple's large, semi-translucent square that blocks most of the video every time the volume is toggled. It appears that along with the new 10-second playback gestures, Netflix is also planning to release a unified and unobtrusive volume indicator, which sits at the top of the screen, similar to YouTube and Instagram.
With no further information available regarding the update, it's unclear how widely available it is and if it will be launching for all users soon. Many users on the original Reddit thread commented about not having the update, and no one at MacRumors has yet seen either the double tap gestures or new volume indicator. We've reached out to Netflix for comment and will update the post if we hear back.
Back in 2016, Nokia acquired health startup Withings in a deal estimated at $192 million, hoping to re-establish its presence in the consumer electronics market. Nokia did this by rebranding Withings' iOS compatible products under its own name, with devices like the Withings Steel Watch and Withings Go fitness trackers becoming the Nokia Steel and Nokia Go.
Unfortunately for the company, the acquisition has largely been seen as a failure, with the digital health division earning just $62.4 million in 2017, part of Nokia's overall $27.9 billion in revenue for the year. Because of this, the company announced earlier in May that it would sell the division back to Withings co-founder, Eric Carreel, and today that deal has officially closed (via TechCrunch).
Financial terms were not given for the sale, but it is said to have included 200 employees rejoining Carreel under the Withings brand. Moving forward, Carreel said that the next steps for the renewed Withings brand will be a "relaunch" of its products focused on preventive health coming by the end of 2018.
“I am delighted to start working again with the brilliant teams that made the brand such a great success” said Carreel in a statement. “We have an exciting challenge ahead of us as we continue to push the boundaries of connected health.”
“We are still only just starting to discover what connected health can really bring to people,” said Carreel in a statement. “From now on we must concentrate our efforts on developing tools capable of advanced measurements and the associated services that can help prevent chronic health conditions. Today’s technologies allow us to imagine solutions that have the potential to benefit the lives of millions of people, and our ambition is to ensure that we, as Withings, lead the way with technological advances and intuitive designs.”
Withings offers connected products like scales, activity tracking smart watches, blood pressure monitors, smart thermometers, sleep trackers, and more, and according to TechCrunch it "sounds like it will keep all of these in place" after the relaunch. The news of the deal closing also brought confirmations of an executive shakeup in Nokia, with president Gregory Lee exiting Nokia and Maria Varsellona stepping up to the duty from a chief legal officer position.
In late 2016 Nokia and Apple entered a series of legal battles that began when Nokia sued Apple for patent infringement in the United States and Germany. As the dispute escalated, Apple decided to remove all Withings products from Apple.com and most Apple retail locations around the world, since the connected health devices were at the time under the Nokia umbrella. Although many of the Nokia-branded products have since returned to Apple.com, Withings should have a much easier time selling its smart scales and more when it returns to its original branding scheme later this year.
As Apple continues to face a legal battle with the European Commission concerning the regulator's claim that Apple 
