MacRumors

Apple may be throttling the LTE performance of the Verizon iPhone 7 to keep it on par with the AT&T iPhone 7, according to research conducted by Twin Prime and Cellular Insights and shared by Bloomberg. Based on testing, the Verizon iPhone 7 performs about as well as the AT&T iPhone 7, but it does not reach the data transfer speeds that it is capable of hitting.

The Verizon (and Sprint) iPhone 7 models use different LTE hardware than the AT&T (and T-Mobile) iPhone 7 models, adopting a Qualcomm LTE modem instead of an Intel LTE modem.

The hardware from Qualcomm is capable of maximum theoretical download speeds of 600Mb/s, while the Intel LTE modem tops out at 450Mb/s, but the Qualcomm-equipped Verizon iPhone 7 is only marginally outperforming the AT&T iPhone 7. Researchers believe Apple may be hobbling the Verizon iPhone 7 by not taking advantage of "a crucial component," thereby ensuring all models of the iPhone 7 perform at a similar level.

"The data indicates that the iPhone 7 is not taking advantage of all of Verizon's network capabilities," said Gabriel Tavridis, head of product at Twin Prime. "I doubt that Apple is throttling each bit on the Verizon iPhone, but it could have chosen to not enable certain features of the network chip." [...]

Field tests suggest the Verizon iPhone 7 is just a "little faster" than the AT&T iPhone 7, but not as fast as it could be. Tests were conducted by comparing iPhone 7 performance on the Verizon network to a Samsung Galaxy S7, which also uses the Qualcomm X12. Data collected from more than 100,000 phones downloading the same image indicates the S7 was twice as fast as the iPhone 7.

In a statement, an Apple spokesperson said there is no discernible difference in the wireless performance of any of the iPhone 7 models.

"Every iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus meets or exceeds all of Apple's wireless performance standards, quality metrics, and reliability testing," Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said. "In all of our rigorous lab tests based on wireless industry standards, in thousands of hours of real-world field testing, and in extensive carrier partner testing, the data shows there is no discernible difference in the wireless performance of any of the models."

Though the two phones are performing on a similar level, past testing by Cellular Insights suggests that changes somewhat when signal strength is an issue. In areas of weak reception, the Verizon iPhone noticeably outperforms the AT&T iPhone by maintaining a stronger connection and enabling faster low-signal transfer speeds.

Other network testing companies that Bloomberg contacted said that reliably measuring data transfer speeds is difficult due to the many factors that can affect performance, but the information collected from Cellular Insights and Twin Prime was not disputed.

Several MacRumors readers have discovered that System Information readouts on some 15-inch MacBook Pro units appear to suggest they are running Iris Pro 580 integrated graphics, rather than Intel HD Graphics 530 as advertised in Apple's tech specs.

The strange inconsistency was first found on some demo units running in Apple Store showrooms, leading some readers to suggest Apple was running higher-specced machines in-store. However, since then, some owners of newly shipped 15-inch MacBook Pros have also noted the same inconsistency in stock laptops sold to them.

MacRumors forum member torquer discovered that on their machine, System Information reports an Intel HD Graphics 530 when the laptop is running on battery, but reports Iris Pro 580 once it's plugged in.

This would suggest a bug in macOS Sierra is causing System Information to misreport the integrated graphics chip in some 15-inch MacBook Pro models. Another indication of misreporting is that units which identify the GPU as an Iris Pro 580 appear to show the device ID string "191b", which correlates with the Intel HD Graphics 530 chip.

In addition, owners of machines reporting the more powerful Iris Pro 580 are not seeing the kind of graphics performance improvement one would expect. For the record, Intel only matches the more powerful Iris Pro 580 to Core i5-6350HQ and Core i7-6770/6870/6970HQ mobile processors, none of which Apple chose to use in its latest lineup of notebooks, likely due to power consumption concerns.

Apple today launched a new repair program for the iPhone 6 Plus, addressing complaints about a manufacturing issue that can cause the iPhone 6 Plus to become unresponsive to touch.

According to Apple, some iPhone 6 Plus devices may exhibit Multi-Touch issues after "being dropped multiple times on a hard surface," causing damage to the device. Under its repair program, Apple will fix affected iPhone 6 Plus devices for a service price of $149.

Customers who paid more than $149 to have their devices fixed before the repair program was implemented will be able to get their money reimbursed by Apple.

Complaints about the iPhone 6 Plus touchscreen issue started in August, after iFixit published a video highlighting the bug and dubbed it "Touch Disease." Touch Disease presents as a gray flickering bar at the top of the screen and a display that becomes unresponsive or less responsive to touch.

Customers who have an iPhone 6 Plus with Multi-Touch issues can visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider or an Apple retail store to see if they qualify for the $149 repair fee.

Starting today, Apple has made in-store pickup available for the new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar in the United States, allowing customers to check stock at their local store and reserve a machine online.

The MacBook Pro first started popping up in retail stores on Tuesday, but because there was no in-store pickup option, there was no way to tell which stores had stock and which didn't. It's now much easier to see which locations have MacBook Pro models available for immediate purchase.

Many stores around the country are listing December 30 pickup dates for the higher-end 13-inch MacBook Pro model and the two 15-inch models, but there are some locations where the new MacBook Pros are currently in stock. The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar appears to be much more widely available than other machines.

A MacBook Pro with Touch Bar ordered from the Apple online store today won't ship for approximately four to five weeks, so checking local stock on a daily basis is a good way to get a model with a standard configuration much more quickly.

Prices on the new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar start at $1,799 for the 13-inch model and go up to $2,799 for the 15-inch model, with additional processor, storage, and GPU boosts available for additional fees.

Apple this week unveiled its latest product, a hardbound photo book that showcases 20 years of Apple products, highlighting every Mac, iPhone, iPod, and iPad released between 1998 and 2015.

Because it's positioned as an art piece, Apple's "Designed by Apple in California" book costs a jaw dropping $200 to $300 depending on size, so we thought we'd take a look inside to see just what you're getting for that price tag.

According to Apple, it took eight years to design the linen-bound hardcover book, which features specially milled, custom-dyed paper with "gilded matte silver edges," and low-ghost ink. As can be seen in the video, the book is of the highest quality with gorgeous photographs, but its price limits its appeal to the general public.

"Designed by Apple in California" can only be purchased from the online Apple Store and at select Apple retail locations around the world. It's priced at $199 for a 10.2x12.8 inch version, and $299 for a 13x16.3 inch version.

Apple today uploaded a new MacBook Pro ad to its YouTube channel, showcasing the machine's Touch Bar and comparing it to major inventions throughout time.

Called "Bulbs," the ad features hundreds of exploding lightbulbs alongside brief glimpses of world-changing innovations, starting with fire and running through tilling, blacksmithing, trains, flight, the telephone, the typewriter, toilet paper, the microwave, the television, the freezer, cameras, computers, robotics, and space flight before finishing with a glimpse of the new MacBook Pro.

Introduced in October, the new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar began arriving in the hands of customers earlier this week and is now available for purchase in some Apple retail stores.

The new MacBook Pro features the first major redesign to the MacBook Pro in four years. It includes a new Touch Bar, Skylake processors, a thinner, smaller body, a larger trackpad, a new keyboard, and more.

Earlier today, reports surfaced on The Intercept and Forbes claiming Apple "secretly" syncs Phone and FaceTime call history logs on iCloud, complete with phone numbers, dates and times, and duration. The info comes from Russian software firm Elcomsoft, which said the call history logs are stored for up to four months.

Likewise, on iOS 10, Elcomsoft said incoming missed calls that are made through third-party VoIP apps using Apple's CallKit framework, such as Skype, WhatsApp, and Viber, also get synced to iCloud. The call logs have been collected since at least iOS 8.2, released in March 2015, so long as a user has iCloud enabled.

Elcomsoft said the call logs are automatically synced, even if backups are turned off, with no way to opt out beyond disabling iCloud entirely.

“You can only disable uploading/syncing notes, contacts, calendars and web history, but the calls are always there,” said Vladimir Katalov, CEO of Elcomsoft. "One way call logs will disappear from the cloud, is if a user deletes a particular call record from the log on their device; then it will also get deleted from their iCloud account during the next automatic synchronization.

Given that Apple possesses the encryption keys to unlock an iCloud account for now, U.S. law enforcement agencies can obtain direct access to the logs with a court order. Worse, The Intercept claims the information could be exposed to hackers and anyone else who might be able to obtain a user's iCloud credentials.

In some cases, hackers could access an iCloud account even without account credentials, such as by using Elcomsoft's Phone Breaker software. The tool is being updated today with the ability to extract call histories from iCloud with only an authentication token for an account from the accountholder's computer.

However, the entire narrative is largely overblown. In a 63-page white paper about iOS security, Apple clearly defines which information it collects for iCloud backups, emphasis our own. Likewise, in its Legal Process Guidelines, Apple notes FaceTime call invitation logs can be stored for up to 30 days.

Here’s what iCloud backs up:

• Information about purchased music, movies, TV shows, apps, and books, but not
the purchased content itself
• Photos and videos in Camera Roll
• Contacts, calendar events, reminders, and notes
• Device settings
• App data
• PDFs and books added to iBooks but not purchased
• Call history
• Home screen and app organization
• iMessage, text (SMS), and MMS messages
• Ringtones
• HomeKit data
• HealthKit data
• Visual Voicemail

Further, in a statement today, Apple said the call history syncing is intentional.

“We offer call history syncing as a convenience to our customers so that they can return calls from any of their devices,” an Apple spokesperson said in an email. "Device data is encrypted with a user’s passcode, and access to iCloud data including backups requires the user’s Apple ID and password. Apple recommends all customers select strong passwords and use two-factor authentication.”

Security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski told The Intercept he "doesn't think Apple is doing anything nefarious in syncing the call logs," which are very clearly stored for the purposes of Continuity and being able to access your call history across Apple devices, even after restoring from a backup.

Nevertheless, Zdziarski emphasized the need for Apple to be clear to users about the data being collected and stored on iCloud. As noted by The Intercept, Apple does not indicate call logs are synced even with iCloud Backup disabled, while FaceTime call logs appear to be stored longer than Apple's claim of up to 30 days.

iCloud users concerned about their accounts being compromised should set a strong password and enable two-step verification.

A few weeks after Microsoft unveiled the Surface Studio to the public at a media event in New York City, a few websites have begun publishing the first reviews for Microsoft's new desktop PC/tablet hybrid. During its announcement in October, the Surface Studio was revealed to have a 12.5mm thin touch screen, with a 28-inch PixelSense Display that packs in 13.5 million pixels. Microsoft said that there's "no monitor like this on the planet."

The first reviews of the Surface Studio are largely positive, with many reviewers enamored with the computer's large screen and slick design, as well as its purpose to fulfill and enhance productivity for creatives. However, in line with the unrest over the price of the new MacBook Pros, most of the people who have been reviewing the Surface Studio for the past week admit the $3,000 price tag is one that prohibits casual users and sets an entry bar for serious power users only.

The Verge also had a freelance illustrator test out the Surface Studio, and they came away largely impressed, but hoped future iterations introduced a rotating display, more ergonomic stylus, and new input options for the Surface Dial accessory. Although a slight mention, one of the site's minor annoyances was the way the Surface Dial slipped down the screen slowly when not being cradled by the user's hand, even at the computer's lowest 20-degree angle.

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Since OS X El Capitan, the operating system that runs on Macs has been protected by a feature called System Integrity Protection (SIP), which is designed to keep your Mac safe from malware by restricting the permissions of the root user account and preventing unauthorized access to protected files and folders.

System Integrity Protection runs behind the scenes and is generally enabled by default in Macs running OS X El Capitan or later, but it seems the feature is inexplicably turned off on some new MacBook Pro models, leaving them vulnerable.

Developer Jonathan Wight noticed System Integrity Protection was disabled on some machines and tweeted about it this morning, prompting developer Steven Troughton-Smith to do an informal Twitter survey asking users about the status of their new machines.

As outlined in Apple's developer documentation, users can check whether SIP is turned on by entering the "csrutil status" command in Terminal. Enabling SIP requires booting into Recovery mode, turning it on using Terminal, and rebooting.

Apple is aware of the issue and will undoubtedly deliver a fix for the issue in an update, but timing for a release is unknown.