Last month, Geekbench scores for an unannounced Mac running the upcoming M2 Max chip surfaced online, showing only minor performance increases compared to the M1 Max. Now, another set of scores claiming to be for the M2 Max chip has surfaced online, showing a larger jump in performance.
In the Geekbench scores last week, the M2 Max chip scored 1,853 in single-core and 13,855 in multi-core, representing only a minor jump compared to its predecessor. Now, in a new set of scores alleged for the M2 Max, the chip scored 2,027 in single-core and 14,888 in multi-core. For reference, the M1 Max chip achieves 1,755 in single-core and 12,334 in multi-core.
The new Geekbench scores offer no further details over any upcoming Macs, which we expect first to be 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. The scores list the chip as running on a Mac with an identifier "Mac14,6" with 96GB of memory and running macOS Ventura 13.2. The only difference between today's scores and last month's ones is that the updated scores show an M2 Max chip with a higher base frequency of 3.68 GHz compared to 3.54 GHz, which could explain the higher scores.
Apple was initially expected to announce updated Macs with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in November this year, but the company pushed plans until early 2023. Apple has multiple new Macs in the work, including an updated iMac and MacBook Pro.
The Google Chrome app for Mac was today updated with new Memory Saver and Energy Saver modes, which are designed to give users more control over memory usage and battery life.
Memory Saver mode frees up memory from tabs that are not being actively used, allowing for a smoother experience for tabs that are in use. Google says that this mode is particularly useful when doing other system intensive tasks like editing videos or playing games. Tabs that are inactive are reloaded when needed.
With Energy Saver mode, Chrome will automatically limit battery draining tasks when the battery hits 20 percent. Background activity will be limited, as will visual effects for websites with animations and videos.
Energy Saver and Memory Saver can be toggled on or off using the three-dot menu in Chrome, and important websites can be marked as exempt from Memory Saver.
The new modes are rolling out with the latest release of the Chrome app for Mac (version 108), and will be available to all users around the world in the coming weeks.
Satechi today announced the launch of a new Duo Wireless Charger Power Stand, which is capable of charging up to three devices at one time with a built-in 10,000mAh battery.
Priced at $99.99, the Duo Wireless Charger Power Stand features a folding design with a magnetic charging base for the iPhone. The charging platform features Qi-based wireless charging, maxing out at 7.5W. There is also a platform for charging the AirPods, with 10W charging total possible.
Satechi says that the stand has been designed for making hands-free calls, streaming videos, listening to music, and more while on the go. The dock can be placed flush with the base or upright for viewing in landscape or portrait modes.
Along with the wireless charging platforms for iPhone and AirPods, there is also a USB-C port for charging one additional device. Because the stand is foldable, it can be tucked in a pocket or a backpack for charging anywhere.
The Satechi Duo Wireless Charger Power Stand can be purchased from the Satechi website for $99.99, but there is a 25 percent off discount available with the promo code DUO25 through December 15.
Samsung today began a new winter deals event, offering sales on TVs, tablets, monitors, memory, audio accessories, and more. The "Discover Samsung" event is set to run through December 15 and introduce new deals of the day every day of the sale.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Below we've collected a few of the highlights of the sale, particularly focusing on major discounts on Samsung TVs and monitors. The new sale continues Samsung's discount on the 32-inch Smart Monitor M8, available for $399.99 in select colors, down from $729.99, an all-time low price on the iMac-like monitor.
iOS 16.2 is now available for the iPhone 8 and newer following two months of beta testing. With last-minute additions like Apple Music Sing and Advanced Data Protection, the software update includes over a dozen new features and changes for the iPhone.
Below, we've recapped many of the new features available with iOS 16.2, including Apple's new whiteboard app Freeform, two new Lock Screen widgets, the ability to hide the wallpaper and notifications on the iPhone 14 Pro's always-on display, a new AirDrop setting, SharePlay support for Game Center, Live Activities enhancements, and more.
Apple Music Sing
Apple Music Sing is a new karaoke-like feature on the lyrics screen in the Apple Music app that lets you sing along to tens of millions of songs. The feature allows users to lower the volume of the vocals in a song and then take over as the singer.
iOS 16.2 introduces an optional Advanced Data Protection feature that, when enabled, expands end-to-end encryption to many additional iCloud data categories, including Messages backups, photos, notes, reminders, voice memos, and more.
Advanced Data Protection is currently limited to U.S. users and will start rolling out to the rest of the world in early 2023, according to Apple.
Freeform App
iOS 16.2 includes Apple's new digital whiteboard app Freeform on the iPhone. The app provides an infinite canvas for you to draw on and insert sticky notes, text boxes, shapes, photos, videos, links, PDFs, and more. The app is also available on the iPad and the Mac, and you can collaborate with others in real time via FaceTime and iMessage.
Freeform is more useful on the iPad given the device supports the Apple Pencil, but you can still use a capacitive stylus on the iPhone.
Two New Lock Screen Widgets
There are two new Lock Screen widgets for Sleep and Medications on iOS 16.2. With the Sleep widget, you can view your most recent sleep session and sleep stages, while the Medications widget can let you quickly access your medication schedule.
New Always-On Display Options
Starting with iOS 16.2, you can hide the wallpaper and notifications in always-on display mode on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. This results in the Lock Screen having a solid black, minimal appearance in always-on mode, similar to Android.
The new "Show Wallpaper" and "Show Notifications" toggles are located in the Settings app under Display & Brightness → Always On Display.
Live Activities for Sports Scores via Apple TV App
iOS 16.2 adds Live Activities support for sports scores via the Apple TV app. The feature allows iPhone users to view live scores of MLB, NBA, and Premier League games at a glance on the Lock Screen, and in the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models.
During a Premier League match, for example, the Dynamic Island shows a live-updating scoreboard with the number of goals scored by each club. When long pressed, the Dynamic Island expands to show the time elapsed and play-by-play action. When an iPhone 14 Pro is locked, and on all other iPhone models, the score is shown in a Lock Screen banner.
To use the feature with an iPhone running iOS 16.2, open the TV app and tap on the "Follow" button for a supported game. Apple says the feature is available for NBA and Premier League games for users in the U.S. and Canada, and for MLB games for users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K., Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea.
New AirDrop Setting
iOS 16.2 replaces AirDrop's previous "Everyone" setting with a limited "Everyone for 10 Minutes" option to cut down on unwanted requests from strangers. AirDrop now automatically reverts to "Contacts Only" after 10 minutes.
New Home App Architecture
After updating to iOS 16.2 and opening the Home app, an update to the app is available with new underlying architecture. Apple says the new architecture improves the app's performance, efficiency, and reliability for controlling smart home accessories. This comes after the Home app gained support for Matter accessories in iOS 16.1.
Other New Features
SharePlay support in Game Center lets you play multiplayer games with the people you are on a FaceTime call with.
Amazon today introduced a new all-time low price on the 2022 Apple TV 4K (128GB Wi-Fi + Ethernet), available for $139.99, down from $149.00. The Apple TV 4K is in stock and has an estimated delivery date of December 12 - 14 for most residences in the United States.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is the lowest price we've ever tracked for this version of the Apple TV 4K, beating the previous low by about $5. The 64GB model is also on sale at a slight discount of $123.49, down from $129.00.
As you may have heard, Apple this week announced it's expanding end-to-end encryption to additional types of data stored in iCloud with a feature called Advanced Data Protection, including device backups, photos, messages, and more. With the new change, even more types of data stored in iCloud will be fully end-to-end encrypted, a higher level of encryption standard.
To help MacRumors readers better understand what the new feature is, how it works, and more, we've created this short post answering some of the most-asked questions about Advanced Data Protection.
What does it do and why is it new?
Before Advanced Data Protection, Apple only encrypted certain types of user data in iCloud, such as passwords and health data. By encrypting data, only a trusted user device can access that information. Other information stored in iCloud, however, such as your photos, messages, and device backups, were not fully end-to-end encrypted meaning if Apple wanted to, it could access your information. With Advanced Data Protection, that all changes.
With Advanced Data Protection enabled for a specific iCloud account, the vast majority of data stored in the cloud will be end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one, not Apple, law enforcement, or governments can ever gain access to that information. Only a trusted device can decrypt that information.
What data will be fully end-to-end encrypted?
With Advanced Data Protection, users will have the following types of data end-to-end encrypted in iCloud alongside Health data and passwords.
Device Backup
Messages Backup
iCloud Drive
Photos
Reminders
Safari Bookmarks
Siri Shortcuts
Voice Memos
Wallet Passes
It's worth noting that iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendar will not be end-to-end encrypted as they all require the ability to connect to external sources, such as Gmail, Yahoo, etc.
Is it enabled by default, and if not, how do I enable it?
Advanced Data Protection will not be enabled by default for users. In a recent interview, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi explained that Advanced Data Protection requires extra effort from the user to enable a recovery method. The extra process and responsibility that lies on the shoulders of users in case they forget their password or lose access to their account make it impractical to force every user to go through that process, Federighi explained.
Nonetheless, even if not enabled by default, it's still easy to enable. When the feature rolls out to all US users by the end of this month, depending on when you activated your device, you'll be able to go into Settings, iCloud, and Advanced Data Protection, enable it and follow the on-screen prompts.
Can I use it now?
Not yet. Advanced Data Protection will roll out to all US users by the end of this month, and Apple says it will launch globally in early 2023. Specific dates for a global rollout are unknown.
Is it free?
Yes, it's free. Advanced Data Protection is an additional layer of protection offered to anyone with an iCloud account, at no extra charge.
What has the reaction been?
As expected, the reaction from users has been positive. With Advanced Data Protection, user data will stay more secure and private. Privacy groups have also praised the decision by Apple, calling it a "victory for user privacy." On the flip side, governments don't seem especially thrilled about the new option given to users.
New renders and design details for the long-rumored Google Pixel Fold have emerged online, including display sizes and overall dimensions, as well as an expected launch date in the spring.
According to established leaker OnLeaks (via Howtoisolve), previous rumors were correct to claim that the Google Pixel Fold will adopt a form factor similar to the Oppo Find N. Google's foldable is set to feature a 5.79-inch outer display with a center hole-punch camera cutout, with a 7.69-inch inner screen and a right-aligned selfie camera cutout embedded in a slightly thicker bezel. The Samsung-built OLED panels are said to feature an ultra-thin glass (UTG) cover, also supplied by Samsung.
The display sizes are said to be housed in a rounded-edge chassis measuring approximately 158.7 x 139.7 x 5.7mm when unfolded, making it marginally wider than the Oppo Find N and approximately the same height, but with a slightly bulkier camera bump with an 8.3mm thickness.
The camera bump on the back side of the screen, reminiscent of Google's latest Pixel phone, houses a triple-lens strip with flash and microphone, while the SIM tray is located at the bottom edge of the outer screen. The USB-C port sits directly opposite when folded. The volume buttons sit on the right edge alongside a fingerprint scanner-equipped power button.
Previous rumors have suggested the Pixel Fold will be powered by Google's Tensor G2 chip processor and come with at least 12GB of RAM. The likelihood is that it will run Android 13. The starting price is expected to be $1,799, with black and silver color options available when the device launches in May 2023.
Google's foldable has been a long time coming. Documents leaked in 2020 suggested Google planned to release a in-folding smartphone in late 2021, but that didn't happen. Google didn't even mention foldable devices at its recent I/O developer conference, leaving some Pixel fans wondering if the device had been canned.
In 2019, when Google revealed it was developing technology that could be used in a foldable, it admitted in the same breath that it didn't see "a clear use case yet." However, well-connected Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young has said the emergence of software innovations or a new chipset that Google wants to incorporate likely held back the device.
Meanwhile, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold and Flip devices having made inroads into the nascent market, and Google is in catchup mode. Where that leaves Apple is unclear. The company's long-rumored foldable iPhone is unlikely to launch until 2025 or later, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple's first foldable device may even be a hybrid iPhone and iPad, or simply a foldable iPad.
If or when its foldable comes, Apple's long game has allowed it to watch and learn. Early foldable devices had a long list of issues with screen quality and durability, which perhaps explains why Apple has yet to come out with a foldable device of its own.
The European Union has set an official deadline for when all smartphones sold in its jurisdiction must have a USB-C port, including the iPhone.
The EU officially approved the common charger law in October, but a specific date for when the law would come into force was unknown. Now, in a newly published directive, the EU says all smartphones must have USB-C by December 28, 2024. Other consumer products, such as tablets and gadgets, will also be required to switch to USB-C under the new law. Products that rely solely on wireless charging with no port will not have to include USB-C.
Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak "Joz," confirmed that Apple would have no choice but to adhere to the EU's new law. Joz didn't say when Apple would make the switch to USB-C and away from Lightning, but with the December 2024 deadline, Apple could wait until the iPhone 16 in September 2024 before transitioning to the newer port.
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.
Apple yesterday announced that end-to-end encryption is coming to even more sensitive types of iCloud data, including device backups, messages, photos, and more, meeting the longstanding demand of both users and privacy groups who have rallied for the company to take the significant step forward in user privacy.
iCloud end-to-end encryption, or what Apple calls "Advanced Data Protection," encrypts users' data stored in iCloud, meaning only a trusted device can decrypt and read the data. iCloud data in accounts with Advanced Data Protection can only be read by a trusted device, not Apple, law enforcement, or government entities.
Following its announcements, the EFF or Electronic Frontier Foundation, a group that has long-called for Apple to enable end-to-end encryption and take more steps to safeguard user privacy, put out a statement applauding the new feature and Apple's renewed commitment to privacy.
We applaud Apple for listening to experts, child advocates, and users who want to protect their most sensitive data. Encryption is one of the most important tools we have for maintaining privacy and security online. That's why we included the demand that Apple let users encrypt iCloud backups in the Fix It Already campaign that we launched in 2019.
Meredith Whittaker, CEO of the popular encrypted messaging app Signal, said the decision by Apple to offer end-to-end encryption "is great." "There's been enough pressure and enough narrative work that they see the side of history forming. It's really incredible," Whittaker told The Washington Post.
The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, or S.T.O.P, called Advanced Data Protection "essential and overdue." Despite the announcement, the group is "disappointed" that end-to-end encryption will require users to opt-in and is not to be enabled by default. Fox Cahn, the group's executive director, said, "it's good to see Apple's privacy protections catching up with its sales pitch, but making these protections opt-in will leave most users vulnerable."
For years, Apple has touted its privacy record while leaving its users vulnerable, particularly to police surveillance. Much of the data users store on iCloud is just a court order away from becoming a policing tool. With these changes, Apple will keep up with the privacy best practices that other companies have followed for years. But it's disappointing that users have to opt-in to many of these new protections, leaving the vast majority at risk.
Fight for the Future, another privacy-focused advocacy group, said on Twitter that Apple's announcement of end-to-end encryption brings the company's marketing of being privacy-focused to reality. "Apple's reputation as the pro-privacy tech company has long been at odds with the reality that iCloud backups aren't secured by end-to-end encryption. This news means people's personal messages, documents, and data will be secure from law enforcement, hackers, and Apple itself." The group is now calling upon Apple to implement RCS messaging into iPhone, a move the group says is a "non-negotiable next step."
While privacy groups and apps applaud Apple for the expansion of end-to-end encryption in iCloud, governments have reacted differently. In a statement to The Washington Post, the FBI, the largest intelligence agency in the world, said it's "deeply concerned with the threat end-to-end and user-only-access encryption pose." Speaking generally about end-to-end encryption like Apple's Advanced Data Protection feature, the bureau said that it makes it harder for the agency to do its work and that it requests "lawful access by design."
"This hinders our ability to protect the American people from criminal acts ranging from cyber-attacks and violence against children to drug trafficking, organized crime, and terrorism," the bureau said in an emailed statement. "In this age of cybersecurity and demands for 'security by design,' the FBI and law enforcement partners need 'lawful access by design.'"
Former FBI official Sasha O'Connell also weighed in, telling The New York Times "it's great to see companies prioritizing security, but we have to keep in mind that there are trade-offs, and one that is often not considered is the impact it has on decreasing law enforcement access to digital evidence."
In January 2020, Reuters reported that Apple dropped plans to encrypt user data in iCloud at the behest of the FBI, which was concerned such a move would hinder investigations and its intelligence efforts. In an interview yesterday with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern, Apple's vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, labeled the report as inaccurate. "I've heard that rumor, but I don't know where it came from."
In that same interview, Federighi said Apple "deeply appreciates the work of law enforcement and supports the work of law enforcement. We view that we really have the same mission at heart which is to keep people safe." Apple says that Advanced Data Protection will be available to all US users by the end of this year, with plans to launch globally in early 2023.
Update: This article has been updated to note that the FBI was speaking generally about end-to-end encryption, which includes Apple's new Advanced Data Protection feature.
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.
Apple's AirPods Max were announced two years ago today, marking the company's first push into the high-end over-ear headphones market under its own brand name.
Rumors about Apple's work on a pair of high-end headphones, at the time believed to be called the "AirPods Studio," heated up throughout 2020. They were announced abruptly via an unexpected press release on December 8, 2020 and went on sale the same day. Orders started arriving to customers one week later on Tuesday, December 15.
The AirPods Max offer many popular AirPods features such as the H1 chip, easy pairing, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency, automatic switching, Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, but in a premium over-ear design for the first time. They also offer a headband made of a flexible mesh canopy, replaceable magnetic earcups, a Digital Crown for volume control, a button for switching between ANC and Transparency, and a Smart Case for storage and to put the headphones into a low power state.
Demand for the AirPods Max was high immediately after launch, with shipping estimates that stretched out several months. Initial reviews of AirPods Max were favorable, applauding the headphones for being "more than enough to compete with other high-end headphones." While the recommended retail price remains at $549, the AirPods Max are often available with discounts up to around $100.
While the AirPods Max are now two years old, there is no sign of a new model despite a growing number of upgrades and features that could come to the headphones. In May 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple was not actively working on second-generation AirPods Max, and talk of a color options refresh for the device seems to have diminished. The most recent mention of a second-generation model was Gurman's claim in October that the next version of AirPods Max will feature USB-C and launch "by 2024."
Twitter plans to charge $11 per month for a Twitter Blue subscription on the iPhone in order to account for the 30 percent cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases, reports The Information. On the web, Twitter Blue will be priced at $7 per month.
Prior to when Twitter Blue was paused, Twitter was charging $7.99 for a subscription, but the pricing will change before it relaunches. According to The Information, some employees have been briefed on the new pricing, but Twitter CEO Elon Musk is known for making snap decisions, so it is still not yet clear if plans could change.
The higher price point on the iPhone will allow Twitter to provide Apple with its 30 percent cut of in-app purchase proceeds without significantly cutting in to Twitter's bottom line. The pricing difference will likely encourage most customers to subscribe on the web, allowing Twitter to avoid in-app purchase fees.
Other companies like Spotify have in the past charged higher prices on the iPhone than on the web, but this often leads to confusion for consumers who do not understand why the prices are different on a device to device basis. Apple does not have an issue with companies charging more for subscriptions in apps than on the web.
The Twitter Blue pricing changes come after a short dispute between Twitter and Apple. Musk last week criticized Apple's App Store fees and claimed that Apple had "threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store," but he later walked that statement back following a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Musk and Cook met at Apple Park, and afterward, Musk said they had a "good conversation" and that there had been a "misunderstanding" over Twitter being potentially removed from the App Store.
Twitter is planning to relaunch Twitter Blue on Friday. Twitter Blue subscriptions were paused after Musk included a verification checkmark with Twitter Blue, allowing companies, celebrities, and other high-profile individuals to be impersonated by anyone with $8 to spend. Twitter Blue has not been available since November 11.
With the relaunch, Twitter Blue is expected to include different badge colors for corporations, government accounts, and individuals, as well as restrictions on changing usernames and limits on signups for newer accounts.
Following the launch of iOS 16.1.2 on November 30, Apple has stopped signing iOS 16.1.1 and iOS 16.1, two previously available versions of iOS.. With iOS 16.1 and iOS 16.1.1 no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to those versions of iOS after upgrading to iOS 16.1.2.
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, so it is not unusual that the updates are no longer being signed.
iOS 16.1.2 will soon be replaced with iOS 16.2, a major update that is in testing and should launch next week. iOS 16.2 will introduce Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, the Freeform app, Apple Music Sing, and other new features.
With the iOS 16.2 release candidate that came out today, Apple added the new Apple Music Sing feature that was announced earlier this week. We thought we'd check out the new karaoke feature to see how it works.
Apple Music Sing is available on modern iPhones and iPads, as well as the newest Apple TV 4K. It's built in to the Apple Music app, and therefore limited to Apple Music subscribers. Note that you need to have a full Apple Music subscription, as it is not included with the more affordable voice-only plan.
If you've used Apple Music's built-in follow along lyrics feature, you know how to use Apple Music Sing. The feature basically uses the lyric functionality, while also adding a toggle to turn down the vocals of a song to replace them with your own.
Just pick a song, turn on the lyrics, and then use the little microphone icon to adjust the vocals. Apple Music Sing is not available for every song, and it's not entirely clear which songs Apple is limiting it to.
Apple is going to provide playlists for Apple Music Sing, which will be filled with popular songs to sing along to. Apple Music Sing will be available to all users with the launch of iOS 16.2, and as we already have a release candidate, iOS 16.2 could come out as soon as next week.
Apple Music Sing is available on the iPhone 11 and later, the third-generation 11-inch iPad Pro and later, the fifth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro and later, the fourth-generation iPad Air and later, the ninth-generation iPad and later, the sixth-generation iPad mini, and the new third-generation Apple TV 4K.
Apple could expand the Emergency SOS via Satellite and Find My via satellite functionality to the United Kingdom as soon as next week, according to a source that spoke to MacRumors. Emergency services personnel in the country have been told that calls from the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will be routed to local emergency services facilities starting on Tuesday, December 13.
Emergency SOS via Satellite launched in the United States and Canada last month, and at the time, Apple said that it would expand to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December. Apple did not provide a specific date, but the December 13 date we've heard from the UK source makes sense. It is not clear if the expansion will also include France, Germany, and Ireland, but it seems likely, and this could also be the day we see iOS 16.2 launch.
Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature is available to all iPhone 14 users running iOS 16.1 in supported countries and it is free to use for two years. It is designed to allow iPhone users to make emergency calls using satellite connectivity outdoors when no cellular or WiFi connection is available.
Satellite connectivity can also be used to update a Find My location without WiFi or cellular connectivity through the Find My app.
Now through December 15, you can get exclusive holiday offers when you shop with Apple Pay in the United States. There are 12 participating brands, including Revolve, Le Creuset, HotelTonight, and more, with a full list outlined on Apple's website.
The offers are available for qualifying purchases made with Apple Pay on participating apps and websites using devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Apple previously announced that customers who sign up for an Apple Card between December 1 and December 25 are eligible for an increased 5% Daily Cash on Apple products purchased with the card between those dates at Apple Stores and on Apple.com.
Apple today announced the launch of an Advanced Data Protection feature that expands end-to-end encryption to additional data stored in iCloud, including iCloud Backup, iCloud Drive, Reminders, Notes, and more. With the launch of the feature, Apple's Craig Federighi did a quick interview with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern to discuss the change, and other new security features that are coming in the future.
Federighi said that expanding iCloud end-to-end encryption took a long time to implement because Apple needed to "build toward the moment" and prove the technology.
Some of the steps we took over a decade ago designing iCloud and the way we encrypted were necessary precursors to build toward this moment, and using end-to-end encryption for the other types of data like passwords and browser history helped prove out that technology.
With end-to-end encryption expanding to most iCloud services, should an attacker get access to iCloud data, there would be no way to decrypt it. As a downside, it will prevent information from being accessible on iCloud.com, which is why it is an opt-in feature that can be enabled or disabled dependent on the level of security and convenience each iPhone user desires.
As for data recovery, Federighi explains that a person who has Advanced Data Protection enabled that loses access to their device and forgets their iCloud password would need to have established a recovery key or a Data Recovery Contact to get access to their content.
A user activating this feature is taking on an additional responsibility. They're taking on responsibility for their data recovery, from setting up a Data Recovery Contact or securing a recovery key. All users might not be ready or willing to do that.
Advanced Data Protection will not allow law enforcement officials to access data like iCloud backups or photos, something that is possible now with unencrypted iCloud backups. When asked if Apple considered this when implementing Advanced Data Protection, Federighi basically said that the benefits outweigh the negatives as it provides protection to government officials who might be targeted by foreign adversaries.
We deeply appreciate the work of law enforcement and support the work of law enforcement. We view that we really have the same mission at heart, which is to keep people safe. Ultimately keeping customers' data safe has big implications on our safety more broadly. There's sensitive information that were an ill-intentioned attacker, whether that be a foreign adversary or organized crime, to get access to information of our political leaders or others who have particular secrets, or access to systems, would be a disaster for us all.
We see this as important to accomplishing the mission we share, which is to keep users safe.
Federighi said that rumors that iCloud backups were once scrapped because it would harm law enforcement investigations were untrue, and that the impact on law enforcement was not a consideration when implementing Advanced Data Protection. Federighi said the only way to keep customer data safe is to stay "one step ahead" of the attackers with features like Advanced Data Protection.
All-time low prices are available today for Apple's 256GB M2 MacBook Air on Amazon, on sale for $1,049.00, down from $1,199.00. This price is available in every color, and every one is on track to deliver before December 25.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This sale is a match of the best price we've ever seen on the M2 MacBook Air, and it's one of the few Apple notebooks on sale at a record low price and still available for Christmas delivery. Shipping windows estimate anywhere from December 13 to 23, depending on the color.
If you want to save even more money, and are okay with a previous generation model, Amazon has the 256GB M1 MacBook Air for $799.99, down from $999.00. This one is also available in all colors, and all three are available for Christmas delivery.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
