MacRumors

Snapchat is facing a lawsuit over claims that the app is guilty of routinely serving sexually explicit content to minors without warning (via The Verge).

The lawsuit was filed this week by a 14-year-old boy and his mother in a district court in California. The plaintiffs argue that offensive content was shown in Snapchat's Discover page, where non-subscribed publications are delivered to user feeds.

The lawsuit says that by routinely including sexually explicit content without providing adequate warnings, the app's Discover feature is in violation of the Communications Decency Act:

Millions of parents in the United States today are unaware that Snapchat is curating and publishing this profoundly sexual and offensive content to their children. By engaging in such conduct directed at minors, and making it simple and easy for users to 'snap' each other's content from Snapchat Discover, Snapchat is reinforcing the use of its service to facilitate problematic communications, such as 'sexting,' between minors. Snapchat has placed profit from monetizing Snapchat Discover over the safety of children.

The lawsuit, which is seeking class-action status, seeks civil penalties and a requirement that Snapchat includes an in-app warning about sexual content.

Publishers regularly create specialized content for the platform and Snapchat receives advertising revenue from these partners in return. Users can subscribe to specific publisher channels, but the Discover page brings exposure to publishers they have not subscribed to.

Snapchat claims its partners have editorial independence, but according to The Verge (also a content provider for Snapchat) the company reportedly exercises a heavy hand in guiding the look and feel of published stories.

Snapchat is rated in the App Store as appropriate for children ages 12 and over, noting that it may contain infrequent or mild sexual content, nudity, suggestive themes, profanity, and references to drugs and alcohol. That contrasts with Snapchat's terms of service, which restrict use to children 13 and older.

You can read the lawsuit here.

One week after news emerged that Google is working on its own smartphone hardware to compete with the likes of Apple's iPhone, a separate report this week claims the company is also set to enter the wearable market with a pair of Google-branded smartwatches.

As with its Android mobile operations, the company has traditionally focused on developing its Android Wear OS while relying on third-party manufacturers to come up with the hardware.

The Angelfish model will reportedly bear similarities to the Motorola Moto 360, with a design that features visible lugs and a housing that curves at the point where the wristband meets the device's body. A 43.5mm diameter accommodates a larger battery and LTE chip that will let the watch connect to cellular networks.

A large circular button at the center of the watch's right side and a pair of smaller circular buttons above and below it will provide physical interaction. While there's no information on what functions the buttons offer, the device is said to feature GPS and a heart-rate monitor, which in addition to LTE capabilities, will make it a true standalone device.

The second, smaller Swordfish model is said to resemble a Pebble Time Round watch, sans the large screen bezel, offering a more rounded look. A single button at the center of its right side will function similarly to the Apple Watch's Digital Crown, but the device won't have GPS or heart-rate monitoring capabilities.

Both devices will have Google Assistant integration and support contextual notifications, with the potential of other unique features not found on third-party watches running Android Wear OS. No information on price points was offered for the devices, while Google declined to comment.

Unlike the company's phones which are said to be coming this year, it's not clear when Google plans to release the watches, although they could potentially appear alongside Google's next range of Nexus smartphones slated for 2016, or with the launch of Android Wear 2.0 this fall.

Apple meanwhile is said to be launching a second-generation Apple Watch later this year, possibly in the fall, putting it on the same upgrade cycle as the iPhone.

For the Apple Watch 2, Apple is said to be working on implementing cellular network connectivity and a faster processor. Built-in cellular capabilities would allow the Apple Watch to place calls, send messages, and access data without the need for an iPhone, while a faster processor would result in speed improvements when accessing apps.

watchOS 3, also debuting this fall, brings a dedicated Breathe app, instant-open apps, a new dock housing favorite apps, a new Control Center, and more.

Apple today updated its iOS feature availability page with 30 new Flyover locations around the world, including cities in the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Flyover is an Apple Maps feature that provides photo-realistic 3D views of primarily large cities and landmarks. In satellite view, users can zoom, pan, and rotate to get a closer look at notable points of interest in supported regions.

The full list of new Flyover locations is available below, but some areas may only now be reflected on Apple's website:

Additionally, Apple Maps traffic data is now available in Chile, Hungary, and Vatican City.

With the release of the iOS 10 public beta, many users are thinking about putting the new operating system on their devices to try out all of the new features. We've already taken a look at whether it's a good idea to install the iOS 10 public beta considering potential bugs and other issues that can interfere with your daily usage, but if you've decided to go ahead with installing it, we've put together this how-to to show you the steps you need to take.

Next, you'll need to install a profile on your device that will give you access to the beta software. It's accessible through Apple's Beta Software Program website, and once you've registered there you'll need to log in from the device you want to install the profile on.

If you've previously been enrolled in an iOS public beta or developer program, you may already have profiles installed on your device for testing beta software, and these should be removed through the Settings app before trying to install the new iOS 10 profile. It's possible you may also have a previous pending beta update such as a iOS 9.3.3 beta already downloaded to your device but not yet installed, and you'll want to remove that in Settings -> General -> Storage & iCloud Usage -> Manage Storage (Storage section) before proceeding.

Once the profile is installed and your device restarts, head to Software Update in Settings as with any other iOS update, and you should see iOS 10 Public Beta 1 available to install.

As you explore the public beta, you can use the included Feedback app to report bugs to Apple, and make sure to check out our iOS 10 forum to discuss your experiences with others and find answers to your questions.

Advertising analytics company Ace Metrix has published its latest list of the top breakthrough ads in the second quarter, and Apple's behind the scenes "Timer" ad starring iconic Sesame Street character Cookie Monster earned fifth place.

"Timer - Behind The Scenes" has been viewed over 3 million times on YouTube since the video was uploaded in early April. In the 90-second spot, Cookie Monster humorously interacts with Siri on iPhone 6s as he bakes chocolate chip cookies.

The series of outtakes are derived from Apple's original "Timer" ad starring Cookie Monster, which has over 11 million views on YouTube since its March debut. Both ads promote hands-free "Hey Siri" on iPhone 6s.

Ace Metrix shared in-depth insights about "Timer - Behind The Scenes" in April. "Apple sees continued success incorporating a beloved character and humor with their product," the post reads. "Even people who aren't Apple users or fans enjoyed watching."

A passenger was detained by police officers at London Stansted Airport yesterday after the man was spotted carrying an iPhone case shaped like a firearm (via BBC News).

Essex Police shared a picture of the gun-shaped case over Twitter and implied that the individual could have put his own life in danger by carrying the case around an airport terminal.

Police suggested the man could potentially be charged with a public order offense or for carrying an imitation firearm in public.

Gun-shaped iPhone cases appeared online in 2014 and have since come in for criticism from law enforcement on several occasions.

After being approached by armed police, the man, who was at the beach with his family, handed over the offending case and avoided charges.

"Unfortunately some people do not realize the risks associated with openly carrying or displaying these replicas in a public space," said an RCMP sergeant when asked about the incident. "Anyone who owns this type or similar devices should safely dispose of them immediately."

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.

Microsoft has released a major update for its Outlook Groups iOS app that promises an improved user experience and more collaborative functions for Office 365 users.

For those unfamiliar with Outlook Groups, Microsoft's relatively new service lets Office 365 work and education subscribers create public and private groups in Outlook 2016 which aim to offer several benefits over traditional distribution lists.

Group members get access to shared inboxes, calendars, cloud storage and OneNote notebooks, and can participate in conversations, schedule meetings, share files and notes, and initiate Skype voice and video calls.

With the addition of the Outlook Groups app, users can interact with their groups on the go via the app's shared mailbox, conversation, and collaborative note, document, and file sharing features.

Outlook Groups is a free download available for iPhone and iPad on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Apple Pay has launched in Switzerland today with support for MasterCard and Visa cards issued by Bonus Card, Cornèr Bank, and Swiss Bankers. Other banks and participating issuers will likely be added in the future.

Eligible cards can be scanned or added manually to Apple Pay by tapping the "Add Credit or Debit Card" option in the Wallet app on iOS 8.1 or later. Apple Pay is compatible with iPhone 6 or later, or iPhone 5 or later when the device is paired with an Apple Watch.

Apple Pay is accepted by a number of Swiss retailers, including ALDI SUISSE, Apple, Avec, Hublot, K Kiosk, Louis Vuitton, Mobilezone, Press & Books, SPAR, TAG Heuer, TopCC, and elsewhere contactless payments are accepted in the country.

Snapchat has introduced a new feature called Memories, accessible by swiping up on the main camera screen, that serves as a personal collection of your favorite saved snaps and stories.

Memories can be viewed personally, sent to your friends, or added to your Snapchat story. A snap taken more than 24 hours ago will appear with a frame around it in your story to indicate that it is older.

Memories are categorized, so you can search for keywords such as "dog" or "Hawaii" to easily find specific Snaps and Stories related to a particular night out, vacation, anniversary, birthday, or other occassion.

Snapchat was updated today, but Memories will continue to roll out selectively over the next month or so.

Snapchat is free on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone and iPod touch.