MacRumors

Masimo CEO Joe Kiani does not believe that Apple will be able to solve its patent infringement issues with software, reports Bloomberg. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Kiani said that a software solution won't work because Masimo patents cover hardware, not software. "I don't think that could work -- it shouldn't -- because our patents are not about the software," said Kiani.

Apple is reportedly working to change the algorithms used for the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch to skirt Masimo patents, with engineers aiming to adjust how oxygen saturation is determined and how the data is provided to customers. An Apple spokesperson said yesterday that Apple is planning to submit a workaround to the US Customs agency to determine whether a software change is enough to avoid an import ban.

Masimo would be open to settling its dispute with Apple to prevent the Apple Watch import ban that Apple is facing, but Apple so far has not expressed interest. "They haven't called," Kiani told Bloomberg. "It takes two to tango." Kiani did not mention the amount of money that Masimo would accept to settle, but he said the company would be willing to "work with them to improve their product."

According to Kiani, he has not spoken with Apple since 2013, which is when Apple considered purchasing Masimo or getting Masimo's help to develop the blood oxygen sensors in the Apple Watch. Masimo has accused Apple of employee poaching and patent infringement, and the U.S. International Trade Commission in October agreed that Apple has violated Masimo patents with the Apple Watch.

As a result, Apple is facing an import ban on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, with sales set to stop starting on December 21. "These guys have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar," Kiani said. Masimo wants an apology and an "honest dialogue" as part of any settlement discussion.

Apple's announcement that Apple Watch sales will stop in the U.S. on Christmas Eve is a "stunt" that is meant to pressure the Biden administration, according to Kiani. Apple did not have control over the timing of the import ban.

Apple for its part said yesterday that it "strongly disagrees" with the ITC's order and import ban decision, and that it is "pursuing a range of legal and technical options" to keep the Apple Watch available to customers.

It is possible that Apple will avoid an import ban and a pause in sales if the Biden administration vetoes the ban by December 25. It is not clear if the White House will step in, as presidential vetoes of ITC bans are rare.

While Apple will not be able to continue selling the Apple Watch in the U.S. without a veto, third-party retailers like Best Buy and Target can continue to offer it as long as supplies are available. The import ban will prevent Apple from importing components and assembled devices from countries like China.

The ITC's decision will not impact sales of the Apple Watch outside of the United States.

Apple's next Apple Watch Activity Challenge is set to kick off on Monday, January 1, with Apple Watch users able to earn an award by closing all three rings for seven days in a row in January.

Let's go for it in 2024. Earn this award by closing all three rings for seven days in a row in January.

Apple Watch owners will need to fulfill their stand, exercise, and move goals for seven days sequentially at any time during the month of January to get the New Year's award.

As with all of Apple's Activity Challenges, the New Year challenge will be accompanied by an award that can be viewed in the Fitness app as well as a series of animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app.

Apple has hosted a New Year challenge for many years running now, and it is one of many Activity Challenges that the company offers throughout the year to encourage people to meet their Fitness goals.

Apple today introduced a new firmware update for the third-generation AirPods. The new firmware is version 6A317, up from the 6A300 firmware introduced in September.

Apple's AirPods firmware updates do not come with details on new features, so it is unclear what might be included in the software.

Apple also does not offer instructions on how to upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the ‌‌AirPods‌‌ are connected to an iOS device. Putting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to a power source, and then pairing the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to an iOS device or Mac should force the update.

You can check your ‌‌‌AirPods‌‌ or ‌‌‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ firmware by following these steps:

• Connect your ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ to your iOS device.
• Open the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Tap About.
• Tap ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌.
• Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."

If we learn more about what's new in the AirPods firmware release, we'll update this article. Apple has also recently released 6A307 beta firmware for the ‌AirPods Pro‌, AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Max.

The Roadside Assistance via Satellite feature that Apple introduced for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models now works with the Verizon Roadside Assistance program, according to an updated Apple support document.

As of iOS 17.2, U.S. customers that have a Verizon SIM can connect to Verizon via satellite to get roadside assistance on the iPhone, with this option joining the already existing AAA roadside assistance option that Apple announced as part of iOS 17.

Verizon provides its subscribers with the option to purchase Roadside Assistance for $4.99 per month for each line enrolled in an account. The subscription includes winching, fuel delivery, battery jumpstarts, tire changes, towing, and more, though there are limits on all services.

Roadside Assistance through Verizon includes four service claims in a wireless coverage area and one claim outside of wireless coverage, though Verizon notes that non-coverage area service requests are only available on iOS 17.2 ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ models that offer satellite connectivity.

Verizon does offer its subscribers pay per use roadside assistance without a subscription. Towing is priced starting at $154, a jump start is $92, and a tire change is $98.

Apple announced Roadside Assistance via Satellite alongside the new ‌iPhone 15‌ models, adding it to the Emergency SOS via Satellite function. Apple routes customers to either AAA or Verizon, and does not provide any roadside assistance itself.

Apple includes two years of Emergency SOS via Satellite and Roadside Assistance via Satellite connectivity for free with the purchase of an ‌‌iPhone 14‌‌ or ‌‌iPhone 15‌‌, but actual roadside assistance fees need to be paid to Verizon or AAA. Roadside Assistance via Satellite is limited to the United States at this time.

Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.2.1, a minor update to the macOS Sonoma operating system that initially came out in late September. macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 comes shortly after the launch of macOS Sonoma 14.2, a major update that brought new widgets, enhanced AutoFill, Messages tweaks, and more.

The ‌‌macOS Sonoma 14.2.1‌ update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

According to Apple's release notes, macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 includes bug fixes and a security update. macOS 14.2.1 fixes a screen sharing vulnerability that could cause a user to unintentionally share the incorrect content.

Apple is already testing macOS Sonoma 14.3, an update that we are expecting to see released sometime in January.

Apple today released iOS 17.2.1, a minor update to the iOS 17 operating system that first came out in September. iOS 17.2.1 comes shortly after Apple released iOS 17.2, an update that brought the Journal app, spatial video recording, and more.

iOS 17.2.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 16.7.4 and iPadOS 16.7.4 for older iPhones and iPads.

The iOS 17.2.1 update includes unspecified bug fixes, according to Apple's release notes for the update.

This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all users.

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

Apple is already testing iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3, updates that are expected to be released in January.

A functional AirPower prototype from early on in its development has exhibited some of the severe thermal problems, including burning or melting devices placed on the charging pad, that ultimately led Apple to abandon the project.

AirPower was an Apple-designed charging mat designed to charge Qi-based iPhones, the Apple Watch, and ‌AirPods‌ that Apple announced in September 2017 alongside the iPhone X. ‌AirPower‌ was designed so that users could place an ‌‌iPhone‌‌, ‌AirPods‌, and Apple Watch on any part of the mat to charge them, which meant that multiple overlapping charging coils had to be included.

It would have prompted devices to display a unique on-screen iOS animation when they were placed on the charging mat, as seen in Apple's early marketing materials. An ‌iPhone‌ on the ‌AirPower‌ charger would also have shown the charge of all of the devices that were placed on the pad. ‌AirPower‌ missed its original 2018 launch date goal, and after a large number of issues with its development, Apple outright canceled the AirPower project in March 2019.

Images depicting an ‌AirPower‌ prototype first surfaced on social media in August 2020, showing a multi-coil design and the device's internal circuitry, and the first video footage of the device emerged in August 2021. Multiple other AirPower prototypes have emerged since then, but most are no longer functional.

The Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami" recently obtained an early version of the ‌AirPower‌ charging mat. The prototype features 15 charging coils, unlike later revisions that had up to 22 coils, leaving small gaps between them. Like other ‌AirPower‌ prototypes that have emerged in the past, the unit does not feature the white exterior shell that Apple marketed the device with, displaying its internal circuitry more clearly.

In contrast to most other prototypes seen in recent years, Kosutami's unit is largely operational, even when charging an Apple Watch. Rebooting after issuing commands to initiate auto-calibration allowed a large amount of information to be read off the prototype, such as the firmware install date of March 17, 2017, commands for selecting specific coils, and more.

Kosutami found that when devices were aligned precisely with one of the charging coils, the ‌AirPower‌ charged steadily at a low voltage, with no noticeable thermal problems. Kosutami told MacRumors that with improper placement, the ‌AirPower‌ proceeds to get extremely hot and can even leave devices with scorch marks. In fact, Kosutami's AirPods Pro charging case began to melt when charging on the ‌AirPower‌.

This requirement for precise positioning between devices and the charging coils defeats much of the purpose of the accessory, which Apple touted as more convenient than other Qi wireless chargers that demand careful placement. Apple ultimately addressed this problem with a different technology: MagSafe.

Apple subsequently increased the number of coils inside the ‌AirPower‌ in an attempt to mitigate the problem, but found that higher coil density only made overheating worse. No ‌AirPower‌ prototypes have emerged from 2018 or 2019, suggesting that the short-lived device's hardware was almost entirely developed in 2017 or earlier. Instead, software was the subject of a period of iteration before the ‌AirPower‌ project was shelved due to an inability to resolve overheating issues.

Rumors in subsequent years about Apple's work on a smaller wireless charger seem to have been related to ‌MagSafe‌ or the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo charger, rather than ‌AirPower‌. Nevertheless, a report from reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman last year said that Apple is still looking into AirPower-like charging solutions for the future.

Sonos is hosting its holiday sale this week, and these deals are matching the all-time low prices we saw over Black Friday for many of its audio products. In total, you can get up to 25 percent off select devices, and Sonos is guaranteeing delivery in time for Christmas if ordered by 11 a.m. local time today.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

All the prices in this sale are matching the ones we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, meaning they're the best prices we've ever seen for these devices. Additionally, the new holiday sale is expanded with bundle options for anyone looking to purchase a full home theater speaker system this season.

In terms of Christmas delivery, Sonos says that you'll need to order by December 19 for ground delivery options and by December 22 for overnight shipping options. There's a good mix of products on sale, including the popular Arc soundbar for $719 ($180 off), cheaper Ray soundbar for $223 ($56 off), Roam Bluetooth speaker for $134 ($45 off), and more.

• Arc Soundbar - $719, down from $899
• Beam Soundbar - $399, down from $499
• Ray Soundbar - $223, down from $279
• Sub - $639, down from $799
• Sub Mini - $343, down from $429
• Roam Speaker - $134, down from $179
• Roam SL Speaker - $119, down from $159
• Era 100 Speaker - $199, down from $249
• Essential Turntable Set - $667, down from $717

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Apple has decided to not appeal a UK court ruling that revives a comprehensive antitrust investigation into its dominance in mobile browsers and cloud gaming, meaning it will commence in January (via Open Web Advocacy).

In late November, London's Court of Appeal effectively reversed a previous verdict that had halted the probe, reinforcing the authority of the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). There was a 21-day grace period before the investigation could restart to provide Apple with a sufficient window to respond.

Apple had the option to appeal to the Supreme Court until yesterday, but decided not to do so, meaning that the CMA's investigation is set to resume efforts to scrutinize the company's influence in the mobile browser market and its approach to cloud gaming on the App Store. The CMA's latest update:

18 December 2023: The deadline for Apple to seek the Court of Appeals permission to appeal the Court's decision has now lapsed, therefore in accordance with the Court's order dated 30 November 2023, the market investigation will recommence on 24 January 2023.

In November 2022, the CMA launched an investigation into the cloud gaming and mobile browser restrictions put in place by both Apple and Google, suggesting that the two companies were holding back innovation and increasing costs for web developers, cloud gaming service providers, and browser vendors. This decision was initially overturned by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which agreed with Apple that the CMA took too long to open an investigation.

The Court of Appeal's latest judgment clarified that the CMA acted within its legal bounds, rejecting Apple's argument regarding time limits. The ruling emphasized that such restrictions apply only to consultation processes within a market study and do not limit the CMA's broader investigative powers.

The court highlighted the CMA's role in promoting competition and safeguarding consumer interests, pointing out the potential "serious consequences" of restricting these powers. The investigation is a part of the CMA's broader effort to scrutinize the power exerted by tech giants like Apple and Google overs mobile ecosystems with a focus on operating systems, app stores, and web browsers on mobile devices.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News 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.

In macOS Sonoma 14.2, Apple included some additional controls for Shazam music recognition, which is now baked into the Mac operating system more than ever. Here's how to add the functionality to your Mac's menu bar and Control Center.

For those unfamiliar with Shazam, it's an Apple-owned popular service that can identify the names and lyrics of songs, music videos, TV shows, and more, simply by listening to and deciphering whatever is playing.

After years of ‌‌Siri‌‌ integration, Apple acquired Shazam in 2018, and integrated it into iOS and iPadOS as a system-level song recognition function. With macOS 14.2, the same level of integration has finally come to Mac.

Previously, the Shazam app for macOS was necessary to add Shazam to your Mac's menu bar, or you could ask Siri to identify a song. Now there are two other ways to access Shazam that are built-in to the system.

The Shazam menu bar item and the Control Center button can be used to prompt Shazam to start listening to the currently playing song. The dropdown menu also includes a history of any songs you previously have identified using the feature.

To open a song in Shazam on the web, click its title. To open the song in the Music app, click the music icon. To delete an entry, click the trash icon and choose Delete Song to confirm the operation. This will delete the song from your Shazam history across all devices with the Music Recognition option enabled in iCloud's sync settings.

How to Add Shazam to You Mac's Menu Bar

1. Click the Apple symbol in your Mac's menu bar and select System Settings....
2. Select Control Center in the side column.
3. In the Music Recognition section, toggle on the switches next to Show in Menu Bar and/or Show in Control Center.

Don't forget that on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod, and Mac, you can ask Siri what song is playing, and the result of these requests will also appear in your Music Recognition listening history.

Apple has announced that Apple News+ subscribers now have access to daily sports news from The Athletic, which delivers in-depth coverage of hundreds of professional and college teams across the major sports leagues globally.

Owned by The New York Times, The Athletic's coverage includes the English Premier League, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS, PGA, National Women’s Soccer League, NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, NCAA men’s college basketball, NCAA women’s college basketball, LaLiga, UEFA Champions League, and more.

"Like so many lifelong sports fans, I am a devoted reader of The Athletic and their fantastic sports reporting and local coverage," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services. "We're so proud to now bring sports fans The Athletic in Apple News+ — which millions of News+ subscribers are going to love."

Apple News+ subscribers in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Australia can follow The Athletic in the Sports section of ‌Apple News‌ to find complete coverage. In addition, the NYT's Wirecutter product reviews will be available for free to all ‌Apple News‌ users beginning early next year.

The New York Times acquired The Athletic in January 2022 for $550 million. The newspaper then shut down its sports desk in July and said it would roll in some of The Athletic's content into its core publication.

Notably, The New York Times ended its partnership with ‌Apple News‌ in June 2020, claiming that the service did not "align with its strategy of building direct relationships with paying readers."

Apple in October increased the price of an ‌Apple News‌+ subscription, from $9.99 per month to $12.99 per month. In the U.S., it was the first-ever price increase for ‌Apple News‌+ since the service launched in November 2019. In a statement shared with MacRumors, Apple said it is "focused on delivering the best experiences possible for our customers by consistently adding high-quality entertainment, content, and innovative features to our services."

Apple appears to be internally testing an iOS 17.2.1 update for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs this week.

Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, including iOS 17.0.3, iOS 17.1.1, and iOS 17.1.2.

iOS 17.2.1 would likely be a minor update with fixes for bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Following the release of iOS 17.2 last week, some users have complained about a bug that causes the Messages app to disappear when rearranging app icons on the Home Screen, but it is unclear if iOS 17.2.1 would address this issue.

Given there are multiple holidays over the next few weeks, it is possible that iOS 17.2.1 will not be released until next month, although the update could be expedited if there are critical fixes. There was no iOS 16.2.1 update for precedent, but Apple released iOS 15.2.1 with a HomeKit security fix in mid-January in 2022.

iOS 17.2.1 would be a stopgap while Apple continues to test a larger iOS 17.3 update, which features a new Stolen Device Protection security option and re-enables the ability to create collaborative Apple Music playlists.

Apple engineers are "racing" to change the algorithms used for the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch to avoid having to halt device sales, reports Bloomberg. Apple earlier today said that it will stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States starting on December 21 due to an imminent import ban stemming from a patent dispute with medical device company Masimo.

Sources that spoke to Bloomberg said that engineers are adjusting how oxygen saturation is determined and how the data is provided to customers, updates that will presumably remove technology that is allegedly violating Masimo patents. The work is in line with Apple's statement that it is "pursuing a range of legal and technical options" to make sure that Apple Watch sales are able to resume as soon as possible.

Masimo's patents are related to the hardware that powers the Apple Watch blood oxygen sensor, and Masimo believes that a software change will not be enough to address the patent violations. "The hardware needs to change," Masimo told Bloomberg.

An Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg that it is working to submit a workaround, so Apple seems to think a software-based solution will be sufficient. It is unlikely that a software fix will be deployed before sales stop, as Apple will need to test the changes. Hardware updates would take several months at a minimum.

Back in October, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) ordered a ban on some Apple Watch imports into the U.S. after ruling that Apple violated Masimo patents related to non-invasive blood oxygen sensing. U.S. President Joe Biden could review the court's order and veto the ban ahead of when Apple will need to stop selling the Apple Watch, but presidential vetoes of ITC bans are rare.

While the White House has until December 25 to make a decision, Apple has decided to preemptively prepare to comply with the ITC's ruling. Apple will stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ in U.S. retail stores on December 21 after 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and online sales will stop after December 24. The Apple Watch will remain available in other countries, and this does not impact the Apple Watch SE because it does not have a blood oxygen sensor.

Apple plans to appeal the ITC's order with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on December 26 if a veto does not come through. Apple's statement from earlier today:

A Presidential Review Period is in progress regarding an order from the U.S. International Trade Commission on a technical intellectual property dispute pertaining to Apple Watch devices containing the Blood Oxygen feature. While the review period will not end until December 25, Apple is preemptively taking steps to comply should the ruling stand. This includes pausing sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple.com starting December 21, and from Apple retail locations after December 24. The decision does not impact sales of the devices in other countries at this time.

Apple's teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features. Apple strongly disagrees with the order and is pursuing a range of legal and technical options to ensure that Apple Watch is available to customers.

Should the order stand, Apple will continue to take all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ are the only Apple Watch models that Apple sells with blood oxygen sensing technology at the current time (with the exception of refurbished models), though older Apple Watches also use the same technology. Customers will still be able to get their devices repaired and replaced if the ban goes through. Third-party retailers will be able to continue sales until supplies dry up, so those looking for an Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 ahead of the holidays can get one from stores like Best Buy and Target.

If Apple is not able to remove the infringing technology or appeal the ITC's decision, settling with Masimo is a possibility, but there are so far no signs that Apple and Masimo are engaged in settlement talks.

Comprehensive Apple Store guide Facades received a major update today, with developer Michael Steeber introducing version two of the app. If you're unfamiliar with Facades, it has everything you would ever want to know about Apple's retail locations.

The app has always had a directory of every worldwide ‌Apple Store‌ with details like store features and trends, but Steeber has added a timeline that provides a wealth of additional information. The Timeline button on each store detail page has the earliest photo of the store, grand opening art, and gifts distributed at openings, along with info on renovations, anniversaries, and more.

The option to log visits to stores has an added "receipt" animation to mark the occasion, along with tools for sharing on social media. Custom store lists can also be created, with the stores selected visible on a map. For example, if you're going to a city with multiple stores, you can compile them in a list and view them on the map to plan stops.

Other new additions include search filters for finding stores and store information, Shortcuts for things like searching for nearby stores, and Chinese localization.

Facades can be downloaded on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. [Direct Link]

Smart home company Eve Systems today announced several new Matter-enabled smart home devices, including the new Eve Energy Outlet and updated versions of the Eve Light Switch and Eve Motion Blinds. With Matter integration, all of the devices work with HomeKit.

Eve Energy Outlet connects to a smart home setup using Thread. It includes two receptacles that can be controlled individually, and it provides advanced energy monitoring functionality so users can see just how much energy devices are consuming.

Eve Energy Outlet is able to replace any existing outlet in a single or multi-gang installation. It will integrate with other ‌HomeKit‌ products, allowing for automations and control via the Home app and Siri. Energy monitoring will be available in the Eve app.

Eve also announced the upcoming launch of Matter versions of the Eve Light Switch and the Eve Blinds Collection. The Light Switch replaces traditional switches and adds smart functionality, while the Eve Blinds Collection is a lineup of made-to-measure smart blinds.

Eve Energy Outlet is set to launch in February, and it will be available from the Eve Store and from Amazon. It will be priced at $50. The Matter-enabled Eve Light Switch will launch in the second quarter of 2024 for $50, while the Eve Blinds Collection will be available in the Eve Store on February 1.

Apple's well-publicized decision to shut down iMessage for Android app Beeper Mini has attracted attention from U.S. lawmakers concerned that the Cupertino company is suppressing competition.

Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee along with Representatives Jerry Nadler and Ken Buck on Sunday penned a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter calling for an investigation into the Beeper Mini dispute. The letter suggests that Beeper Mini reduced Apple's iMessage "leverage" over iPhone users, leading Apple to shut it down.

As you know, interoperability and interconnection have long been key drivers of competition and consumer choice in communications services, from telephones to email. Startups and small businesses drive innovation, create jobs, and can disrupt entrenched incumbents when allowed to compete. But consumers will never benefit from competition if dominant firms are allowed to snuff out that competition at its incipiency.

We are therefore concerned that Apple's recent actions to disable Beeper Mini harm competition, eliminate choices for consumers, and will discourage future innovation and investment in interoperable messaging services. We also fear these types of tactics may more broadly chill future investment and innovation from those that seek to compete with existing digital gatekeepers. Thus, we refer this matter to the Antitrust Division to investigate whether this potentially anticompetitive conduct by Apple violated the antitrust laws.

Though Beeper Mini's developers have tried to push the privacy angle by pointing out the encryption its app offered for Android to ‌iPhone‌ communications, Beeper Mini launched using a reverse engineered version of iMessage that surreptitiously registered Android phone numbers as Apple device owners. It took advantage of Apple's own iMessage servers with fake credentials, so it is not surprising that Apple viewed Beeper Mini as a security risk.

Apple said that it shut Beeper Mini down because the app "posed significant risks to user security and privacy, including the potential for metadata exposure and enabling unwanted messages, spam, and phishing attacks."

Apple put a stop to Beeper Mini's full functionality just days after it launched, but the Beeper Mini team was able to come up with a workaround shortly after. The updated version of the app requires an Apple ID unlike the first version, and it only works with email addresses, not phone numbers.

In a CBS News interview, Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky said that he is simply trying to provide a secure service for Android users, and he decried Apple's iMessage monopoly.

As of now, Beeper Mini continues to experience outages as Apple tweaks the iMessage service. Beeper Mini engineers are aiming to keep the app up and running, and for now, it is free to use.

Apple may be facing scrutiny over Beeper Mini, but the pressure may ease after the company adopts Rich Communication Services, or RCS in 2024. ‌RCS‌ will be used for chats between ‌‌iPhone‌‌ and Android users, and it includes support for high quality video and images, emoji reactions, typing indicators, read receipts, and more, providing Android users with many of the same features available to iMessage users.

Encryption for ‌iPhone‌ to Android chats will be missing until Apple is able to work with the GSM Association that developed the ‌RCS‌ protocol to add end-to-end encryption. Google's version of ‌RCS‌, Google Messages, supports end-to-end encryption on Android devices, but Apple is adopting the ‌RCS‌ Universal Profile and not the version of ‌RCS‌ that was modified by Google.

It is worth noting that there are many cross-platform apps that ‌iPhone‌ and Android users can download to communicate privately, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and more.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News 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.

Yet another industrial designer that worked under Jony Ive is leaving Apple, reports Bloomberg. Peter Russell-Clarke has stepped down from his role at Apple after 17 years, and he plans to join space technology company Vast.

Under Ive, Russell-Clarke worked on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Park campus. He left Apple earlier in the year in order to "pursue passion projects," according to a press release put out by Vast.

As Bloomberg points out, almost all of the designers who worked under former Apple design chief Jony Ive have departed. Ive left Apple in 2019 to start his design firm LoveFrom, but he continued to work with Apple as a consultant until 2022. Apple paid Ive more than $100 million to be LoveFrom's primary client, but Ive was not able to work on projects that Apple felt were competitive, leading to the dissolving of the partnership.

Several Apple designers that worked with Ive opted to join LoveFrom, and in February 2023 when Ive replacement Evans Hankey left, Apple opted to drop the Product Design Chief role, restructuring its product design team under operations chief Jeff Williams.

The next-generation version of the iPad Pro that's set to come out in 2024 might include support for MagSafe charging, MacRumors has heard. The information comes from a source that is familiar with companies that manufacture magnets for Apple products, and while it's not confirmed at this time, there have been past rumors pointing toward Apple's work on wireless charging for the iPad.

Back in 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple was considering a glass back for the 2022 ‌iPad Pro‌, allowing for wireless charging capabilities. Gurman specifically said that Apple was testing a ‌MagSafe‌ system for the ‌iPad Pro‌. The 2022 ‌iPad Pro‌ models did not feature wireless charging, a glass back, or notable design changes, but it is possible that Apple tabled the feature for a future launch.

New 11.1 and 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models with OLED displays are planned for 2024, and the devices are expected to get design updates as part of that refresh. Apple has not updated the look of the ‌iPad Pro‌ in several years, so it is due for an overhaul.

It is possible that Apple could be planning for a glass-backed ‌iPad Pro‌ in 2024 as part of the OLED refresh, but that has not been confirmed. A glass back would make the ‌iPad Pro‌ more vulnerable to damage when dropped, similar to the iPhone, but it would also allow for new wire-free accessories and a common ‌MagSafe‌ charger that would work for both the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌. The ‌iPad‌ would also presumably work with the 15W magnetic Qi2 chargers that third-party manufacturers are working on.

15W ‌MagSafe‌ charging would be slower than wired charging over USB-C, which is also the case with the ‌iPhone‌, but it would provide Apple device owners with more charging options in a pinch.

There is also a chance that the ‌MagSafe‌ charging for the ‌iPad‌ that we're hearing about refers to a Mac-like magnetic charger rather than an iPhone-style magnetic charger. Apple is working on a more Mac-like aluminum Magic Keyboard for the 2024 ‌iPad Pro‌ launch, and the new iPads will also use the same M3 chips that are in the MacBook Pro.