Apple will be among several U.S. tech giants to attend a meeting at the White House today to discuss cybersecurity and possible security threats posed by open-source software, Reutersreports.
The meeting will be held by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and will focus on "concerns around the security of open-source software and how it can be improved." The meeting was prompted by concerns around a security vulnerability found in open-source software Log4j.
The vulnerability, which posed a threat to organizations that use Log4j around the world, allowed hackers to control a system and remotely execute malicious code.
According to Sullivan, open-source software such as Log4j presents a "key national security concern" as it is often used and maintained by volunteers. Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle are also expected to attend the meeting.
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.
Amazon today has a great deal on the 2017 Intel 21.5-inch iMac (2.3GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD), priced at $599.99, down from $1,099.00. This is the best price we've ever tracked on this model, and it's only available at Amazon. The sale price will be reflected after an automatic coupon is applied at checkout.
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.
As of writing, there is a delayed shipping estimate for the iMac; the fastest shipping option gives an early February delivery estimate. This is a great deal, so even with the delayed shipping window it's worth locking in the price before the deal expires for those interested.
Final price includes $349.96 taken off at checkout.
You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.
Update: This sale expired fast, and Amazon is now out of stock. There's a chance it could return, so we'll update this page again if it does.
Following limited testing of native support, Dropbox's Mac app built for Apple silicon is now available to all beta testers.
Earlier this month, Dropbox began testing native Apple silicon support with a handful of beta testers, promising to expand testing to all beta users before the end of the month. Now, all Dropbox users who have enabled "Early releases" in their account preferences will have access to the native Apple silicon app.
On a support page, Dropbox says that users on Apple silicon Macs can expect to receive the newer version within 24 hours after joining the early releases program for their account. Here's how to join the program:
In the top right-hand corner, click your profile picture and go into Settings.
Under General, locate Preferences and toggle on "Early releases."
Dropbox faced criticism late last year following confused messaging from the company about whether its client would adopt native Apple silicon support, forcing customers on Apple's latest Macs to use a version of the app built for Intel-based computers. Amongst Mac users, Dropbox has been criticized for being poorly optimized, leading to excessive memory and battery usage.
California employees first sued Apple in 2013, and in 2015, the case escalated into a class action lawsuit. Employees claimed that Apple subjected them to mandatory bag checks that were "embarrassing and demeaning," with those checks conducted after the end of a shift, causing employees to stay at work an extra 10 to 15 minutes.
Apple said that its bag searches ensured that employees were not hiding stolen electronics in their personal belongings. Apple claimed that employees who did not want to be subjected to bag searches could simply avoid bringing a bag to work, but this argument ultimately did not work for Apple and in 2020, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that Apple needed to pay the employees for the time they had spent in bag searches.
Apple and lawyers for the Apple employees in California reached a settlement last year and in November, asked a judge to approve it. Apple has agreed to pay nearly $30 million, and the more than 14,000 workers involved in the lawsuit will receive payments based on the individual shifts worked. Current and former employees will be receiving emails and letters from Apple with specific information about their potential payment amount.
Details about the Apple Bag Check Class Action Settlement can be found on Apple's legal website, with documents available for California employees subjected to bag checks between July 25, 2009 and August 10, 2015.
The bag search policy has been long discontinued and Apple has not conducted bag searches since 2015. The Final Approval Hearing for the settlement will take place on July 7, 2022.
iOS 15.2 did not introduce a bug that turned iCloud Private Relay off for some users, Apple said in a statement that was provided to MacRumors. The statement was in response to a T-Mobile claim that iOS 15.2 had automatically toggled the iCloud Private Relay feature off for some users.
iCloud Private Relay is an innovative internet privacy service that allows users with an iCloud+ subscription to connect to the internet and browse with Safari in a more secure and private way. We have rolled Private Relay out in beta and it's available in most countries around the world. No carrier partners have blocked their users from taking advantage of Private Relay.
No changes were made to iCloud Private Relay in iOS 15.2 that would have toggled the feature off. Users are encouraged to check their Settings to see if Private Relay is enabled on their device or for a specific network.
Apple also said that no carriers, including T-Mobile, have blocked their users from taking advantage of the iCloud Private Relay feature.
T-Mobile earlier this week was accused of disabling iCloud Private Relay for its users after some T-Mobile subscribers found that they were unable to turn on the feature. T-Mobile then released a statement that said it had discovered that the iOS 15.2 update was causing some device settings to default to the feature being toggled off, which Apple says did not happen.
T-Mobile also said that customers who have plans and features that use T-Mobile content filtering, such as parental controls, do not have access to iCloud Private Relay in order to allow these services to work as designed. It is not entirely clear why some T-Mobile subscribers were having issues, but customers who are not using content filtering should be able to use iCloud Private Relay as expected.
iCloud Private Relay can be turned off on a network by network basis, which can cause it to state that it is not working on the carrier level. If not enabled in the carrier settings on an iPhone, iCloud Private Relay won't be available for the cellular network, and the same goes for WiFi.
Apple recommends that users make sure that the Limit IP Address Tracking preference in WiFi, Cellular Data Options, or Network Settings is toggled on in order to use iCloud Private Relay, and the company has published a support document that better explains how iCloud Private Relay works, how to enable iCloud Private Relay, and what to do if a website or network does not work with the feature.
In light of the new information from Apple, T-Mobile has issued a revised statement clarifying that there were no changes made in iOS 15.2.
We wanted to update what we shared earlier. Apple doesn't change customers' settings when they update to iOS 15.2. Customers may see an error message if they previously toggled iCloud Private Relay or Limit IP Address Tracking off in their Cellular Data Options Settings. Apple has more details on their support page for this feature here.
Apple today also made changes in the iOS 15.3 beta to make it clearer what's going on when iCloud Private Relay is not working for a cellular network. The messaging now advises customers to check their cellular settings if the feature is disabled, rather than simply suggesting a carrier partner does not support it.
At least some of the confusion over T-Mobile and iCloud Private Relay may be related to the wording of the setting in the current version of iOS 15.2, which says that iCloud Private Relay is not carrier supported even if the feature is actually toggled off by the user in the cellular settings.
All three U.S. carriers yesterday confirmed that they support iCloud Private Relay, and now Apple has also made it clear that no carriers are blocking the feature.
Apple does say that there are network setups that could cause iCloud Private Relay not to work. Networks that audit traffic or perform network-based filtering will block access to Private Relay. This includes enterprise and school networks, which often have traffic monitoring policies, as well as cellular providers that are offering network-based services like Parental Controls, as is the case in T-Mobile's situation.
LG in December announced the launch of its new 2022 32-inch UltraFine OLED Pro display, and in our latest YouTube video, we went hands-on with it to see how it compares to Apple's Pro Display XDR and whether it might be worth picking up depending on the price point.
Officially named the "32BP95E," the display features a resolution of 3840 x 2160, so it's 4K, and it's OLED with all of the benefits that come with OLED technology. It's technically 31.5 inches, but LG is rounding up to 32.
The LG OLED Pro display is designed for professionals, and it's not unlike the Pro Display XDR in that regard. It boasts impressive color accuracy, and it's limited to 60Hz so it's definitely a display for creatives and not for gaming or content consumption.
It looks similar to most other LG monitors, and it comes with a solid selection of ports like USB-C, 2 DisplayPorts, an HDMI port, three USB-A ports, and a headphone jack. It offers tilt and height adjustment, and it can be used vertically.
There's also a monitor hood to reduce glare and built-in color calibration tools, both of which are upgrades from the prior model, but there are no real standout features even though it does look impressive. Make sure to take a look at our YouTube video for a full feature overview and to see it in action.
LG has not released pricing or provided details on when the display is going to be available, but the prior model cost $4,000, so it's not going to be cheap when it comes out.
For those who might be interested in this display, there are rumors that Apple is working on its own Apple-branded display options that could come out in 2022, so it may be worth holding out on a purchase to see how rumors progress.
Current information indicates that there are 24, 27, and 32-inch displays in the works. The 32-inch display is likely to be a Pro Display XDR replacement, but the smaller displays are expected be more affordable (possibly around ~$2000) and closer to replacements for the now-discontinued Thunderbolt Display.
Microsoft has hired Mike Filippo, a semiconductor designer who formerly worked at Apple as a chip architect, reports Bloomberg. Microsoft is aiming to further expand on chip designs for the servers that power its cloud computing services, and at Microsoft, Filippo will be working on processors for Azure servers.
Filippo joined Apple in 2019 after a decade of semiconductor design at Arm, where he was credited with developing some of the underlying technologies used in phones and other devices. Filippo was responsible for the development of several Arm chips, including the Cortex-A76, Cortex-A72, Cortex-A57, and upcoming 7nm+ and 5nm chips.
Prior to working at Arm, Filippo worked at AMD and Intel, and he was a high profile engineer on Apple's chip team. Apple has been losing some of its chip hires in recent weeks. Former Director of Mac System Architecture Jeff Wilcox departed Apple in December and has since transitioned to Intel, where he will work on Intel's new SoCs.
In today's iOS 15.3 beta, Apple has updated the wording that people see when iCloud Private Relay is disabled for a cellular or WiFi network, clarifying that when it's off, it's not always because of a lack of carrier support.
The new message says that Private Relay is turned off, but it explains that either a cellular plan does not support it or that it has been deactivated in Cellular Settings.
In iOS 15.2 and prior iOS 15.3 betas, if iCloud Private Relay was disabled for a cellular plan, Apple placed all of the blame on the carrier. Here's the previous wording:
"Private Relay is turned off for your cellular plan. Your cellular plan doesn't support iCloud Private Relay. With iCloud Private Relay turned off, this network can monitor your internet activity, and your IP address is not hidden from known trackers or websites."
And the new wording:
"Private Relay is turned off for your cellular plan. Private Relay is either not supported by your cellular plan or has been turned off in Cellular Settings. With Private Relay turned off, this network can monitor your internet activity, and your IP address is not hidden from known trackers or websites."
Apple's current wording does not allow for the possibility that iCloud Private Relay is unavailable because it has been disabled in the Settings app. iCloud Private Relay can be turned on or turned off for specific WiFi and cellular networks, and there may be an iOS 15.2 bug that is causing some users to have these settings disabled by default.
Going to your Cellular Settings and toggling on "Limit IP Address Tracking" will ensure that iCloud Private Relay is active for your cellular network, while going to WiFi, tapping the "i" button next to your network and toggling on "Limit IP Address Tracking" will turn it on for your WiFi network if it's not already enabled.
Apple's vague iCloud Private Relay wording got T-Mobile in some hot water earlier this week. The carrier was accused of disabling iCloud Private Relay for its users, preventing them from using the privacy-enhancing feature. Apple's messaging placed the blame on T-Mobile even if iCloud Private Relay was disabled simply due to being toggled off in the Settings app.
T-Mobile was silent on the accusations for a day, and then clarified that there appears to be an iOS 15.2 bug that can cause device settings for the Private Relay feature to be toggled to off. T-Mobile contacted Apple, and Apple updated its support document to instruct people how to make sure their settings are correct, and now the Cupertino company has also added this information into the iCloud Private Relay settings.
The major U.S. carriers, including T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T have all confirmed that they are not blocking iCloud Private Relay and do not have plans to do so. For T-Mobile users who have content filtering like parental controls enabled, iCloud Private Relay will be disabled because the services are not able to work with the feature turned on.
Based on the latest rumors, it is now looking unlikely that iPhone 14 Pro models will have Face ID under the display as initially claimed.
Earlier today, display industry consultant Ross Young claimed that iPhone 14 Pro models will feature both hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts near the top of the display. Young believes the hole will be for the Face ID dot projector, while the pill-shaped cutout will supposedly house the front camera and an infrared camera for Face ID at a minimum.
In a follow-up tweet, Young has since claimed that the infrared camera will not be moved under the display until 2023 or 2024, suggesting that Face ID will not be fully under the display until the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro.
While the two-hole design for iPhone 14 Pro models would not provide a completely seamless viewing experience, it would still be another step in that direction. And if Young and Kuo prove to be right, we might finally get an all-screen design next year.
Apple today released iOS 15.2.1 and iPadOS 15.2.1, minor updates that include an important security fix for a known HomeKit vulnerability that was first discovered last year.
According to Apple's security support document for the update, it addresses an issue that could cause a maliciously crafted HomeKit name to result in a denial of service, causing iPhones and iPads not to work.
Apple says that it was caused by a resource exhaustion issue that has now been addressed with improved input validation.
The HomeKit bug was first highlighted in January by Bleeping Computer after being discovered by Trevor Spiniolas. Called "doorLock," the vulnerability is executed by changing the name of a HomeKit device to something with over 500,000 characters.
Attempting to load such a large string of characters causes the iOS device to be sent into a denial of service state, and a forced reset is the only way to recover. Resetting the device results in a loss of data unless there is an available backup, and signing back into an affected iCloud account linked to the broken HomeKit device name can re-trigger the bug.
Apple partially fixed the bug in iOS 15.1 by limiting the length of the name that can be set for a HomeKit device or app, but it didn't entirely fix the issue because malicious people exploiting the vulnerability could use Home invitations rather than a device to trigger the attack.
Because this bug could result in data loss at worst and a device reset at best, it's worth updating to the iOS and iPadOS 15.2.1 updates right away.
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming three weeks after the launch of the first betas and a month after the launch of iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2.
iOS and iPadOS 15.3 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or an iPad.
There's no word yet on what's included in the iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 betas, suggesting that it likely focuses on under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes.
There are a few features that Apple has yet to implement, such as Universal Control and support for IDs in the Wallet app. Universal Control will let multiple Macs and iPads be controlled with the same keyboard and mouse, and Apple recently said that the feature will come out in the spring. There were no signs of Universal Control in the first beta, so it looks like it could instead come int iPadOS 15.4.
Digital IDs in the Wallet app has been in the works since Apple introduced the feature at WWDC in June. Arizona, Georgia, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah are expected to be the first states to implement digital ID support, and Florida is also in talks to support the feature.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 8.4 beta to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming three weeks after the launch of the first betas and a month after the release of watchOS 8.3.
To install watchOS 8.4, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, watchOS 8 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.
To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
We don't yet know what's new in the watchOS 8.4 update, and no new features were found in the first beta. We'll update this article should anything new be found in the second beta.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 15.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming three weeks after the first beta and a month after the release of tvOS 15.2.
Developers can download the new tvOS 15.3 beta by downloading a profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode.
tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes. We don't yet know what's included in the tvOS 15.3 update, but we'll update this article should anything new be found.
Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.
The iOS 15.2.1 and iPadOS 15.2.1 update can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
According to Apple's release notes for the update, it addresses an issue causing Messages sent through an iCloud Link not to load and it fixes bug with third-party CarPlay apps not responding to input.
Now, display industry consultant Ross Young has claimed that iPhone 14 Pro models will feature both hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts near the top of the display. Young said the hole is believed to be for the Face ID dot projector, while the pill-shaped cutout will supposedly house the front camera and Face ID infrared camera at a minimum.
This potential design was shared by Twitter account ShrimpApplePro in September, but the leaked image provides an inverse view of the display. The pill-shaped cutout is actually said to be on the left, with the circular cutout on the right.
We now believe Apple will have a hole + pill design on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. The smaller hole will not be invisible...The two hole concept will be unique to Apple, like the notch, not similar to all the pill models from Huawei...Let's see those new renders pic.twitter.com/Udt8cTKzPZ
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) January 12, 2022
Hole believed to be for the dot projector. Pill for selfie and IR camera…
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) January 12, 2022
With both hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts, iPhone 14 Pro models are no longer expected to have Face ID under the display as some earlier rumors claimed.
The new design is rumored for the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, which will likely be announced in September. Apple is also expected to release lower-end 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max models that continue to have a notch.
Young has proven to be a reliable source of display-related information for future Apple products. Last year, for example, he accurately claimed that the new iPad mini would feature an 8.3-inch display with the home button removed. He was also first to report that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro would feature ProMotion displays.
Cellular carriers in the United States routinely have solid offers on the latest iPhones, and today we're tracking a few deals that have appeared in January at AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. These discounts are focused on Apple's new smartphone lineup, including the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
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.
iPhone 13
Starting with the iPhone 13, there are a few solid offers from the three major cellular carriers in the United States. AT&T has one of the best discounts, offering the iPhone 13 at no cost with eligible trade in, while T-Mobile has a basic discount that takes up to $800 off the device when trading in and signing up for the carrier's Magenta MAX plan. If you're looking to purchase two iPhone 13 devices, Verizon has a BOGO up to $700 off on Verizon Unlimited plans.
AT&T - Get iPhone 13 for $0 with eligible trade in
Verizon - Buy one, get another up to $700 off on select Unlimited plans
T-Mobile - Get up to $800 off with trade in on Magenta MAX plans
iPhone 13 mini
Across all carriers, iPhone 13 mini deals are matching the same offers seen on the iPhone 13. AT&T is again offering this device at no cost when you trade in an eligible older smartphone, T-Mobile has up to $800 off with trade ins on Magenta MAX plans, and Verizon is the place to look when purchasing multiple devices at once.
AT&T - Get iPhone 13 mini for $0 with eligible trade in
Verizon - Buy one, get another up to $700 off on select Unlimited plans
T-Mobile - Get up to $800 off with trade in on Magenta MAX plans
iPhone 13 Pro
Moving to the Pro models, AT&T is offering the iPhone 13 Pro for up to $800 off with the usual eligible trade in requirement. Verizon is topping that offer by offering savings of up to $1,000 when trading in an old device and signing up for select Verizon Unlimited plans.
AT&T - Get iPhone 13 Pro for up to $800 off with eligible trade in
Verizon - Save up to $1,000 when trading in old device on select Unlimited plans
T-Mobile - Get up to $800 off with trade in on Magenta MAX plans
iPhone 13 Pro Max
You'll find the same deals on the iPhone 13 Pro Max as you did on the iPhone 13 Pro, with AT&T offering up to $800 off and Verizon offering up to $1,000 off the smartphone. Both carriers require you to trade in an older device to see these savings, as well as sign up for their versions of unlimited cellular plans.
AT&T - Get iPhone 13 Pro Max for up to $800 off with eligible trade in
Verizon - Save up to $1,000 when trading in old device on select Unlimited plans
T-Mobile - Get up to $800 off with trade in on Magenta MAX plans
Verizon - Buy one, get up to $460 off another iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, or iPad Pro
Verizon - Get up to 40% off on five or more regularly priced accessories
If you're in the market for a new iPhone, we've begun tracking the latest carrier deals in our Best iPhone Deals guide. This includes discounts and offers from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and more.
iPhone 14 Pro models will feature a 48-megapixel camera, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. Specifically, this refers to the rear-facing Wide camera, which is currently 12 megapixels on iPhone 13 Pro models.
The addition of a 48-megapixel Wide camera on iPhone 14 Pro models has already been mentioned by multiple sources, including analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who expects the upgraded camera to support 8K video recording.
Simply increasing a smartphone camera's megapixel count while maintaining the same image sensor size results in smaller pixels, which allows less light to be captured, resulting in lower-quality low-light photos. As a solution, Kuo has previously said that iPhone 14 Pro models will support both 48-megapixel and 12-megapixel output, which would likely be achieved with a process known as pixel binning.
Already in use on some Android phones like Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra, pixel binning merges data from multiple smaller pixels on the camera's image sensor into one "super-pixel" for improved low-light sensitivity. Pixel binning would allow iPhone 14 Pro models to shoot high-resolution 48-megapixel photos in bright conditions and 12-megapixel photos in low-light conditions that are still of higher quality.
iPhone 14 Pro models would likely shoot 12-megapixel photos by default given the large file size of 48-megapixel photos, but Apple's implementation remains to be seen.
Apple is expected to announce four new iPhone 14 models in September, including a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, with a 48-megapixel camera available on the latter two devices.
The report claims that Apple representatives visited South Korea in December last year to meet with local suppliers, following a preliminary visit in the summer of 2021. In particular, Apple is said to be looking for a number of vehicle electronic parts manufacturers with experience in mass production to provide core components for the vehicle.
Apple's interest in Korean manufacturers has purportedly led to a heated battle to secure a place in Apple's supply chain, and some suppliers are said to have formed a "Task Force" to actively respond to Apple's requests. Sources claim that Apple offered equity investment to at least one local electronic parts manufacturer in return for doubled production capacity.
Suppliers have purportedly not been given exact information about the vehicle's specifications due to discussions still being at an early stage. Even so, suppliers are said to be conscious of the need for confidentiality with Apple's vehicle project, with there being concern that leaks would likely lead to the company being removed as a supplier candidate.
Apple is reported to have a special interest in Korea's battery manufacturing capabilities and discussed electric vehicle batteries with LG and SK. Apple has allegedly insisted that it wants to develop and manufacture Apple car battery materials directly and requested intense secrecy. Some suppliers have refused the opportunity to work with Apple due to the high level of control it demanded.
After initiating face-to-face contact with some of the suppliers, Apple plans to continue discussions via online meetings. Apple is expected to complete the selection of suppliers for its vehicle by the end of 2022, followed by the initiation of full-scale development, public announcement, and mass production within the next two to three years.
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.
