MacRumors

Apple plans to donate money to "help preserve and restore" the Amazon forest across Latin America, Apple CEO Tim Cook said today on Twitter.

Cook's announcement comes following devastating fires that have been raging in Brazil for the past several weeks destroying the vulnerable rainforest.

Brazil declared a state of emergency earlier this month over the growing number of fires, which are impacting the Brazilian states of Amazonas, Para, Mato Grosso and Rondônia.

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.

Apple has shelved a "walkie-talkie" feature that would have allowed iPhone users to communicate with each other in areas without cellular coverage, such as while skiing or hiking, according to The Information.

The report claims Apple was working with Intel on the project, which supposedly would have enabled iPhone users to send messages directly to other iPhone users over long-distance radio waves that bypass cellular networks, adding that the technology was designed to run over the 900 MHz radio spectrum.

This feature is not to be confused with the Apple Watch's Walkie-Talkie feature, which relies on Wi-Fi or a cellular connection.

The project is said to have been suspended in part because the Apple executive heading it, Rubén Caballero, left the company earlier this year. The technology also relied on Intel modems, according to the report, and Apple is expected to start using Qualcomm modems in iPhones again starting in 2020.

The technology could still show up in future iPhones, but development of the feature appears to be on hold for now.

Apple today released tvOS 12.4.1, watchOS 5.3.1, and macOS Mojave 10.14.6 for its Apple TV, Apple Watch, and Mac devices, to go along with an iOS 12.4.1 update that addresses a serious vulnerability.

The new software updates are available immediately on the ‌Apple TV‌, Apple Watch, and Mac.

The three new updates are minor in scale and focus on bug fixes and other under-the-hood performance improvements rather than outward-facing features. On the Mac, the update fixes several issues:

This update:
- Resolves an issue that may cause certain Mac notebooks to shut down during sleep
- Fixes an issue that may degrade performance when working with very large files
- Addresses an issue that may prevent Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iMovie, and GarageBand from updating

tvOS 12.4.1, watchOS 5.3.1, and the new version of macOS 10.14.6 may be some of the last updates that we see before Apple releases new tvOS 13, watchOS 6, and macOS Catalina software this fall.

Apple today released iOS 12.4.1, a minor update that comes one month after the launch of iOS 12.4.

The iOS 12.4.1 update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.4.1 is free to download.

Today's update includes a fix for a vulnerability that allowed hackers to create a jailbreak for the iOS 12.4 update, according to Apple's security support document. Apple actually addressed the vulnerability in iOS 12.3, but then accidentally unpatched it in the iOS 12.4 update.

Available for: iPhone 5s and later, iPad Air and later, and iPod touch 6th generation

Impact: A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with system privileges

Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2019-8605: Ned Williamson working with Google Project Zero

After hackers discovered that the vulnerability was once again available, it didn't take long for a jailbreak to be created. The security issue also left iOS devices vulnerable to hacking attempts, which is why Apple likely worked quickly to correct it.

According to Apple's release notes, the update includes "important security and stability updates" and is recommended for all users.

Apple this morning shared a new video ad on its YouTube channel, highlighting the Apple Card, which became available for all iPhone users in the United States last week.

In the spot, Apple goes over the features of the ‌Apple Card‌, highlighting the ‌Apple Card‌ interface in the Wallet app. ‌Apple Card‌ is designed to offer up visual spend tracking, changing the color of the virtual card to match the categories that users are spending in.

Apple Card is here. It's a new kind of credit card, created by Apple, not a bank. With a better way to track where you spend. Daily Cash you get back every day. And a new level of privacy and security. Nice.

The ad shows off both the physical titanium card that can be used for in-store purchases and the ‌Apple Card‌ in the Wallet app, used for Apple Pay purchases.

Apple is likely to begin showing this ad on television, social media, and other locations in the near future in an effort to get additional users to sign up.

‌Apple Card‌ is designed to simplify the credit card experience, offering up clear spend tracking and payment options to minimize the amount of interest spent. It offers cash back rewards that max out at 3 percent, and rewards are provided on a daily basis through Daily Cash.

For more on ‌Apple Card‌, make sure to check out our full Apple Card guide.

Disney's annual D23 Expo kicked off in Anaheim on Friday, and the company has revealed more details about its upcoming streaming service, Disney+.

According to CNET, Disney+ will cost $6.99 a month and give subscribers the ability stream up to four devices at the same time, with high-definition 4K content included at no extra cost.

That will make it highly competitive with Netflix, which increased its base price to $9 earlier this year. Netflix also charges subscribers $13 for high definition streaming on two simultaneous streams, and $16 for 4K and four simultaneous streams.

Of course, Netflix has built up a large library of content in its nine years operating as a streaming service, but Disney has a huge stock of established IP to draw from and is launching its platform with more than 500 feature films and over 7,500 shows, including the entire Pixar library and a raft of original content.

The company is debuting a Ms. Marvel series on the platform, as well as She Hulk and Moon Knight. A live-action Lady and the Tramp adaptation and an Obi-Wan Kenobi original series starring Ewan McGregor will also be exclusive to Disney+.

Other previously announced perks include numerous Star Wars series like The Mandalorian, several Marvel character shows, and exclusive streams for upcoming Disney movies including Frozen 2 and a live-action The Little Mermaid.

Disney's original episodes will be released weekly, in contrast to Netflix's tendency to release entire seasons in one go, and subscribers to the service will be able to set up to seven different user profiles (Netflix allows up to four).

Disney+ is set to launch on November 12 and will be available to watch on Apple TV (tvOS-supported models), iPad, and iPhone, with offline downloads supported on mobile.

This holiday season is shaping up to be all about the battle of the streaming platforms, with ‌Apple TV‌+, Apple's new streaming television service, also expected to launch in November.

‌Apple TV‌+ will offer all of Apple's original TV shows and movies that are in development, and Apple is spending upwards of $6 billion for content. Little is known about ‌Apple TV‌+, but it will be available on all devices where the TV app is available when it launches.

Apple has not yet announced pricing for the service, but it is ad free and shows will be available to watch on demand. Current rumors suggest it could be priced at $9.99 per month.

Apple has suspended the grading program that used contractors to listen to Siri recordings for quality control purposes, but in a new report, The Irish Examiner (via The Verge) gives some additional insight into how it worked.

According to one of the contractors who worked on ‌Siri‌ grading in Cork, Ireland, employees were expected to listen to more than 1,000 ‌Siri‌ recordings per shift. Most recordings were a few seconds in length, and "occasionally" employees would hear personal data or snippets of conversation. Contractors primarily heard ‌Siri‌ commands, though.

Each recording was "graded" based on different factors, such as whether or not a ‌Siri‌ activation was accidental or if the query was something the personal assistant could or couldn't help with.

The employee said that ‌Siri‌ user details were kept anonymous, and that he or she mostly heard recordings with Canadian, Australian, and UK accents.

"I understood the reasons why the company was doing it but I could see why people would feel it was a breach of privacy because they weren't telling people. I think the lack of consent was the issue."

Data analysts who worked with Globetech, a Cork-based firm, were told this week that their work with Apple has been terminated. Apple and Globetech have not commented on how many employees were let go, but The Irish Examiner says that more than 300 contractors working on transcription and grading for Apple may have lost their jobs.

Apple last week told Globetech that it would be ending all transcription and voice grading work, and Globetech has confirmed that it will no longer be providing these services to Apple.

Prior to Apple's decision to end all grading and transcription work with Globetech, Apple prohibited employees from bringing their cell phones to work after the original story from The Guardian hit. In that report, an anonymous contractor said that employees working on ‌Siri‌ often heard private data including confidential medical information, drug deals, recordings of couples having sex, and more.

Following that story, where the employee also called out Apple for not properly disclosing human-based ‌Siri‌ grading to its customers, Apple announced that it would temporarily suspend the program worldwide.

Apple said it would review the process that's currently used, and also add a feature to let people to opt out of allowing their ‌Siri‌ recordings be used for quality control purposes. In a statement to The Irish Examiner, Apple said that it is still evaluating its grading processes and is "working closely" with partners to reach the "best possible outcome" for all involved.

"We believe that everyone should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve -- this includes our own employees and the suppliers we work with in Ireland and around the world. Apple is committed to customer privacy and made the decision to suspend Siri grading while we conduct a thorough review of our processes. We're working closely with our partners as we do this to ensure the best possible outcome for our suppliers, their employees and our customers around the world."

It's not if and clear when ‌Siri‌ grading will resume, but it's likely going to remain suspended until Apple is able to release a software update that adds a toggle allowing customers to opt out.

Apple is facing a class action lawsuit over the issue, which claims Apple did not inform consumers that they are regularly being recorded without consent."

Samsung recently released its latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy Note 10 and the Galaxy Note 10+, which will be two of Apple's main competitors for the upcoming 2019 iPhones.

The new Galaxy Note smartphones have impressive edge-to-edge displays with pinhole camera cutouts, S Pen support, and a long list of additional features that are designed to make them stand out. In our latest YouTube video, we go hands-on with the Note 10+ to check out what Samsung has added to try to compete with the iPhone lineup.

S Pen

iPhones don't support a stylus, and we're not expecting the Apple Pencil to work with the 2019 lineup, but Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 devices do work with a stylus called the S Pen, which has long been one of the main Note features.

The S Pen has a new look in 2019, but it's mostly the same. You can use it for taking notes, writing on the screen, sending live messages, and more. It's basically like the ‌Apple Pencil‌ for the iPad.

With the Galaxy Note 10 and the S Pen, handwritten notes can be turned into text, and you're also able to search through your handwritten notes. It's a feature that worked well in our testing.

AR Doodle

One major new S Pen feature that's a little bit fun and a little bit gimmicky is AR Doodle, designed to let users write text or create drawings on top of what's being viewed through the camera.

It's essentially drawing in augmented reality, which is neat, but probably not something most people are going to use on a regular basis.

3D Scanner

The larger version of the Galaxy Note 10 (the Note 10+) is equipped with an extra DepthVision camera that enables some interesting 3D scanning functionality.

Samsung on stage used this feature to scan a plush toy to make a correct, 3D digital version of it, which is what it's supposed to do. Unfortunately, in our testing, the 3D scanner is mediocre.

We couldn't get anything to scan accurately, with limbs getting cut off, designs being warped, and other problems, even when testing all kinds of lighting conditions. Maybe it'll get better in the future, but as is, this feature isn't useful.

Live Focus Video

A camera feature that is useful is the new Live Focus Video option that brings the Live Focus available in Samsung photos to the video camera, so you can adjust the depth of field while you're filming.

Zoom In Audio

Another camera feature we liked as the zoom-in audio option. When you zoom in on a subject that you're filming, the microphone is able to isolate that subject and amplify the sound, which is neat. When you zoom back out, the audio returns to normal.

DeX for macOS

Samsung devices have a feature called DeX, which is basically designed to let you dock your Samsung smartphone to a PC to turn it into a mobile workstation.

You used to need an external monitor, but with the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, DeX works with both Mac and Windows machines. Mac users can download the DeX app for the Mac, plug the Note 10 in, and then control smartphone functions on the big screen.

On some Macs, though, the resolution is poor, which can make it a bit hard to see what you're doing.

Aura Glow Design

One of the coolest Galaxy Note 10 features is the color. Samsung is offering the Note 10 and Note 10+ in this rainbow-like shade called Aura Glow. It stands out and really catches the eye, especially when compared to the standard Silver, Space Gray, and Gold that most iPhones come in.

Fingerprint Sensor

Samsung's new smartphones use an under-display fingerprint sensor which is about as accurate as the fingerprint sensor in the S10+. It works decently, but its positioning on the screen might take some adjustment.

Battery Life

iPhone users who always feel like their devices die quickly might be jealous of the battery in the Note 10+ - it's 4,300mAh, which is massive. It can also take advantage of a 45W charger that can fast charge it from zero to full in just about an hour.

Samsung's not including a 45W charger in the box, but since it charges over USB-C, you might already have one laying around.

What do you think of Samsung's new Galaxy Note 10 smartphones? Let us know in the comments.

Apple added new features and new functionality to most of its built-in apps, including Health and Activity, both of which have either changed significantly or have major new features worth noting.

This guide goes over the changes that Apple made to the Health app and the Activity app in iOS 13.

Health App

Summary

Apple in iOS 13 entirely overhauled the Health app, doing away with the iOS 12 interface which featured four tabs for the "Today" calendar, "Health Data," "Sources," and "Medical ID."

The main Health interface now features just two tabs: Summary and Browse. Summary is an overview of all of your different health metrics, which are going to vary based on what health-related devices you have and how you use them.

If you have an Apple Watch, for example, you'll see data like activity, heart rate, heart rate variability, stand hours, stand minutes, steps, and tons more. Other devices, like the Beddit sleep monitor, smart scales, blood pressure monitors, and anything else that connects to the Health app can also be displayed here.

To edit what's in the "Summary" tab," tap on the "Edit" button and tap the stars next to the categories that you want to be able to see.

Highlights

The Summary app has a "Highlights" section that tells you relevant and interesting information that you might want to know like average workout minutes over the last seven days, heart rate recovery, average steps walked per day, environmental sound levels, and more.

Get More From Health

If you scroll down to the end of the Summary section in the Health app, you will see various options like registering as an organ donor along with health-related information such as why hearing health matters and understanding hearing loss. There are also links to health-related apps you might want to try.

Browse Tab

In the "Browse" tab in the Health app, you can see a breakdown of all of the available health-related categories to make it easier to find different health information and your health records if you have a doctor's office that makes records available on the iPhone.

This section also includes a search category so you can search for exactly what you're looking for.

Profile

Information like Medical ID and Sources, which was previously available through dedicated tabs in the iOS 12 Health app, is now located in a new Profile section available by tapping on your profile picture at the top of the Health app.

Your personal health details (height, weight, age, etc) are stored here, along with your Medical ID info and your organ donation choices. In this section, you can also access your health records if you have a participating health provider and you can change which apps and devices have access to your Health data.

Health Data Breakdowns

Since the Health app is no longer organized by date, it looks different when you tap into a health category like steps taken or exercise minutes.

You can still see data organized by day, week, month, or year, but it's easier to find each category that you're looking for and Apple also provides useful health summaries in these sections.

Depending on the health category, metrics like historical average, daily average, range, alerts, and more are also available.

Menstrual Cycle Tracking

iOS 13 brings a new health tracking feature for tracking menstrual cycles. It includes options for both period and fertility tracking, providing a first-party alternative to less privacy-focused period tracking apps.

It predicts when a period is expected and keeps track of period history, along with allowing for the logging and tracking of different symptoms related to both health and fertility tracking.

Noise Monitoring

Apple in iOS 13 monitors the sound level around you through a connected Series 4 Apple Watch or through connected earbuds like the EarPods, AirPods, Powerbeats Pro, and other options.

The Health app can be set to send notifications when harmful noise levels are detected, such as if you're at a concert that's too loud or are listening to music through the AirPods or other headphones that's set too loud.

In the Health app specifically, Apple provides a readout of the ambient noise you've been exposed to over time. The app lets you know if it's been too loud, and provides the average sound level in your environment over the last hour, day, week, month, and year.

Toothbrushing Time

If you have a Bluetooth-connected toothbrush that works with an iPhone app, that data can now be imported into the Health app in a new Toothbrushing category so you can see your brushing time at a glance. The Toothbrushing category tracks brushing time per day, week, month, and year.

If you don't have a Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush, you can also add manual data each time that you brush your teeth.

Activity App

The Activity app in iOS 13 has a new "Trends" tab that's designed to make sure you keep up your activity levels from month to month.

Trends lets you know if your overall health trends are stable, up, or down, so if activity levels have dropped, you can make the appropriate changes.

To give you an idea of where you stand at a glance, Trends uses up or down arrows. An up arrow means your activity in a specific category is up, while a down arrow means you're trending downwards.

Trends covers Move (calories via active movement per day), Exercise minutes, Stand hours, Distance walked, and more, depending on which activities you do. Metrics like Stand Minutes per Hour, VO2MAX, Walking Pace, and Running Pace are also available, though you need enough data to activate them. These are based on walking and running workouts.

Apple says that Trends is designed to help users understand the long-term trajectory for activity, mobility, and fitness over the course of the last 90 days. Tapping on any one of the arrows in the Trends tab provides more specific information so you can see changes over time in more detail.

Apple will give you an encouraging message if your trends are up, or personalized coaching if trends are down.

New Move Achivements

The Activity app also includes some new Move achievements, with rewards for hitting Move goals 1250, 1500, 1750, and 2000 times. Previously, this maxed out at 1000.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about the Health or Activity apps, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Dutch brand ZENS today unveiled a wireless charging mat with 16 overlapping coils, allowing two devices to be charged anywhere on the mat.

The ZENS Liberty will be able to charge any Qi-enabled devices, with the 16 coils providing a total output of 30W, while a built-in 2.4A USB port will be able to charge an additional device. Designed with high-grade aluminum, the mat will be powered by a 45W power adapter that connects via USB-C.

Other wireless charging mats released to date have fewer coils, resulting in devices needing to be placed in specific spots on the mat to charge.

This is the closest alternative we have ever seen to Apple's canceled AirPower mat, which would have been able to charge three devices placed anywhere on the mat, including an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Of course, the ZENS mat will not have the same level of software integration with Apple devices.

Apple canceled the AirPower in March, noting that "after much effort," the mat failed to achieve its "high standards." An earlier report from Sonny Dickson claimed the ‌AirPower‌ would have been equipped with 21 to 24 coils, but reports claimed the mat suffered from overheating and potentially dangerous electromagnetic interference issues.

ZENS says the mat will be available in November for $139.99, with a limited edition version with see-through glass set to be offered for $179.99.