Apple has delayed the rollout of the Child Safety Features that it announced last month following negative feedback, the company has today announced.
The planned features include scanning users' iCloud Photos libraries for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), Communication Safety to warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos, and expanded CSAM guidance in Siri and Search.
Apple confirmed that feedback from customers, non-profit and advocacy groups, researchers, and others about the plans has prompted the delay to give the company time to make improvements. Apple issued the following statement about its decision:
Last month we announced plans for features intended to help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them, and limit the spread of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers and others, we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features.
The suite of Child Safety Features were originally set to debut in the United States with an update to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS Monterey. It is now unclear when Apple plans to roll out the "critically important" features, but the company still appears to be intent on releasing them.
YouTube says it has passed 50 million subscribers for its Premium and Music subscriptions, making it the "fastest growing music subscription" service in the world, according to YouTube's global head of music, Lyor Cohen.
YouTube says that it has more than 50 million paying subscribers collectively across YouTube Premium and YouTube Music. The Google-owned service says it attributes this milestone to several factors, but mainly due to how subscribers can get "uninterrupted access to the largest and most diverse catalogue of music, artists and culture" through its subscriptions.
We've got killer products in YouTube Music and YouTube Premium that deliver truly unique value to artists and creators and the best experience for music fans and video lovers. We're in our own lane -- there's no other place where fans can get uninterrupted access to the largest and most diverse catalogue of music, artists and culture. We're making it easy for music fans to go deep and find their thing -- whether that's on YouTube or the YouTube Music app.
YouTube Music comes as part of a YouTube Premium subscription but can also be purchased standalone. With YouTube Premium, customers can download videos for offline viewing, play videos in the background playback, no ads, and more.
YouTube Music is one of many competitors to Apple Music, and it's hard to name a winner purely based on subscriber count. Apple doesn't provide specific subscriber figures, but the latest estimate was 60 million subscribers in 2019. Three years on, the number is likely higher. Additionally, Apple One, which bundles Apple Music with other Apple's services, makes it harder to determine how many Apple Music subscribers are out there.
Apple may be exploring the possibility of using an open-source alternative to the Arm architecture, which it's been using in its products for decades.
According to a newly posted job alert, spotted by Tom's Hardware, Apple is looking for an engineer that specializes in RISC-V, an open-source architecture instruction set that allows device makers to build their own chips without having to pay a license or royalty. Apple currently uses the Arm architecture in its products, and it pays the company a royalty fee to use its instruction set.
Apple's job posting description states that the engineer will implement "innovative RISC-V solutions and state of the art routines" to Apple's products. Specifically, Apple hopes prospective engineers will be able to work with the RISC-V instruction set, as well as have an understanding of Arm.
Tom's Hardware theorizes that if Apple were to adopt the open-source instruction set of RISC-V, it may save the company money because it wouldn't need to pay Arm a license fee for its instruction set.
Every Arm core requires Apple to pay a licensing fee to Arm, and since the number of cores for things like SSD controllers and smartwatches will only increase, so will Apple's payments to Arm. As such, replacing at least some Arm cores with RISC-V cores could save Apple millions of dollars in royalty payments every year...
The job listing is a confirmation that Apple is exploring the use of RISC-V, but whether the company decides to implement the open-source technology remains to be seen. Apple's reliance on Arm has increased in the past year as Apple is in the process of switching its Mac lineup to Arm-based processors rather than Intel.
Twitter is planning new privacy-related features that provide users with greater control over follower lists and who can see their posts and likes, reports Bloomberg.
The plans are said to include an option to archive old tweets so that other users can't see them after a set period of time designated by the account holder (such as 30, 60, or 90 days, or a whole year), as well as the ability to edit follower lists.
According to Bloomberg, the plans are an effort to make people more comfortable interacting and sharing on Twitter, and are related to what Twitter executives call "social privacy," or how users manage their identities and reputations on the social network.
Internal research at the company reportedly found that many Twitter users don't understand the privacy basics, like whether their account is private or public, which causes them to engage less on the social network because they don't know what other people will be able to see about them.
To counter this, Twitter will start prompting users to review whether their accounts are public or private beginning in September. Its privacy team are also working on other potential changes including the ability to remove followers (as opposed to blocking them), hide liked tweets, and remove oneself from a public conversation.
Twitter has no timeline for some of the changes, while some features, like the archive option, are still in the "concept phase," but Twitter plans to let people remove followers starting this month, and to let users remove themselves from conversations by the end of the year.
Those who use the Notes and Reminders apps will be pleased to hear that iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 bring some useful new features. The Notes app has enhanced functionality on the iPad with the Quick Note feature, while Reminders features better Siri integration and natural language support.
The guide below highlights the new features that you'll find in the Notes and Reminders apps in iOS 15.
Notes
The major new feature in the Notes app, Quick Note, is exclusive to the iPad, but Apple has added some general quality of life improvements and new features for those who share notes between multiple people.
Tags
When writing a note, you can use hashtags to tag it with a word or a phrase for organizational purposes. You can use any tag you want, like #cooking, #plants, #work, #reminders, etc.
Once you create a tag, it's added to the "Tags" section in the Notes app overview. You can tap on any of the tag names to see all notes that contain that tag.
To go along with tags, there's a new Smart Folders option that you can use to create a folder to house tags.
When creating a Smart Folder, you can choose a name and select which tags you want it to include. You can choose tags you've already created or add new tags that will be used in future notes.
Tags and Smart Folders offer a new way to organize your notes and it's a system that's quicker and more simple than manually organizing your notes into different folders.
Activity View
The Notes app has offered sharing features for some time now, but in iOS 15, Apple is making it easier to collaborate and work on a note with another person.
On any shared note, if you tap the three dots in the upper right hand corner or the little person icon, you can get to an Activity View that shows you the edits that each person has made and who has interacted with the note.
If you tap on "Highlights" or swipe right in a note, you can see an overview of the portions of the note that each person has contributed. If you have a gift list or grocery list, for example, you can see the items that each person involved with the note has added.
Edit times and dates are included, and each person's contributions are shown in a different color. When you open a note, you'll also see a notification of the changes that have been made since the last time you opened the note.
Mentions
In shared notes or folders, you can add an @ sign and type in the name of a person the note is shared with to bring their attention to it and to let them know if there's been an important update.
With an @mention, the person receives a notification about the note, which is similar to how @mentions work in other apps.
Quick Note - iPadOS 15
On the iPad, if you tap in the lower right corner with an Apple Pencil or swipe with a finger, you can bring up a Quick Note to jot down a thought or an idea.
You can bring up a Quick Note from the Home Screen, in any app, when using Split View, or anywhere else in iPadOS.
You can type in a Quick Note or use the Apple Pencil to write, and Quick Note size can be adjusted or it can be collapsed down to the side of the iPad so you can bring it right back up when you need it.
Links from an app or website can be added to Quick Note for context, and when you go back to the same place in the app or on the site, a thumbnail of the Quick Note appears to remind you of your earlier note.
Quick Notes are all stored in the Quick Note folder in the Notes app and they can be viewed on the iPhone or a device that doesn't support Quick Note as a standard note.
Some of the same new features that Apple added to Notes are also available in the Reminders app, along with a few useful bonus features like natural language support.
Tags
As with Notes, you can now add any hashtag to a reminder as a new organizational method. You can group up all reminders that are tagged with a certain word, such as "groceries," so it's a great way to split your reminders up without having to use different lists.
Once you've added at least one tag to a reminder, the Reminders app will have a new Tag Browser that aggregates all of the tag names. Tapping on a tag shows all of the reminders using that tag.
Custom Smart Lists
Smart Lists are how your different Reminder tags can be aggregated together. Smart Lists can be made to organize reminders based on tags, dates, times, locations, flags, and priority.
For tags, you can create lists that will aggregate multiple tags like #cooking and #groceries so you can create the organizational system that works for you.
Natural Language Support
In iOS 15, you can use more natural phrases to create reminders more quickly. "Jog every other morning," will create an every other day reminder, for example. You can use phrases like "clean the kitchen every Friday" or "check the mail every day at 4:00 p.m." and the iPhone and iPad will accurately interpret what you're aiming for.
Deleting Completed Reminders
It's easier to delete completed roundups in iOS 15. In any list with a lot of reminders, you can tap on the new "Clear" label. Depending on how old the reminder is, you might see options for deleting all completed reminders, completed reminders older than a year, completed reminders older than six months, and completed reminders older than a month.
If your completed reminders aren't visible, you can tap on the icon with the three dots and then select "Show Completed." From there, the "Clear" option for removing finished reminders will be available.
Swiping to delete, a feature that was already available, can also be used to clear completed reminders, but the new feature for clearing all finished reminders is quicker.
Announce Reminders with Siri
When a reminder that you need to attend to pops up when you're wearing AirPods or compatible Beats headphones, Siri will announce it similar to notifications or incoming messages.
This feature can be toggled on in the Settings app under Siri and Search > Announce Notifications > Reminders.
Expand Suggested Attributes
Adding a tag is a new quick suggestion in the Reminders toolbar along with date, location, flag, and photo.
Tapping on the info icon also now provides tags as an option alongside date, time, location, flags, when messaging a certain person, and priority.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about the new Notes and Reminders changes in iOS 15, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Apple today sent out emails advertising its latest Apple Pay promotion, which will see Instacart offering up to $30 off deliveries of $50 or more with the promo code APPLEPAY30.
The $30 discount is limited to new users, and the promo code must be used in the Instacart app or on the web.
Those who are already Instacart users can get $5 off of their next order of $35 or more with the promo code APPLEPAY5. The discounts are available through September 8.
In a recent episode of Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso," Jeremy Swift's character Higgins briefly poked fun at actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchasing Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC last year.
That led Reynolds and McElhenney to respond on Twitter with a humorous letter teasing legal action unless Apple sent over two large boxes of Ted Lasso biscuits.
Wrexham AFC today confirmed that Apple has followed through, sending 50 boxes of the famous Ted Lasso biscuits to players.
In the TV series, titular character Ted Lasso won over AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton by giving her shortbread biscuits every day, which he baked himself.
The second season of "Ted Lasso" is currently streaming on Apple TV+. Six episodes have aired so far, with a new episode coming each Friday.
Apple is developing several new watch face options that will take advantage of the larger screen size of the upcoming Apple Watch Series 7 models, reports Bloomberg.
The Apple Watch Series 7 models will come in 41mm and 45mm body sizes, up from the current 40mm and 44mm sizes. For the 45mm model, the screen will measure in at 1.9 inches diagonally, up from 1.78 inches, and it will have a resolution of 396 x 484, up from 368 x 448, which equates to 16 percent more pixels.
Bloomberg has not provided similar details for the 41mm model, but it too will see a comparable increase in body size, and both models will have slimmed down display borders.
The larger 45mm Apple Watch will have more space for complications, and Apple has multiple new watch faces in the works to go along with the Series 7 models.
A Modular Max watch face will offer the digital time alongside a small complication like temperature, while additional larger complications will be stacked on top of each other below. It's similar to Infograph Modular, but can show more than one large complication.
A Continuum face will shift based on "the flow of time and the current hour," and a new world time watch face will allow users to see all 24 time zones simultaneously. An external dial will display the time zones, while an inner dial will display the time in each location. Bloomberg says it's similar to watch faces popularized by luxury watch makers Patek Philippe, Breitling, and others.
There's a new Hermes watch face that features numbers that change hour by hour, and a new Nike watch face with numbers that change based on a person's motion.
The Apple Watch Series 7 will also feature a new S7 chip and a flat-edged design that will match the design of the iPhone 13, but we are not expecting new health features.
Apple is expected to introduce the new Apple Watch at an event that's set to be held in September, but recent rumors of production issues may see the actual launch delayed or watch supplies limited when it first debuts.
Next year, Bloomberg says that Apple will debut a new low-end Apple Watch SE, and a rugged model aimed at extreme sports users alongside the traditional flagship update.
Apple will not be able to avoid a proposed class action lawsuit covering Siri privacy claims, reports Reuters. The suit in question, which was initially filed in 2019, accuses Apple's voice assistant Siri of violating user privacy.
The plaintiffs involved in the case can try to prove that Siri routinely recorded private conversations due to accidental activations, and that Apple disclosed those conversations to third parties such as advertisers, said the judge.
One user in the lawsuit claimed that his private discussions with his doctor about a "brand name surgical treatment" caused him to receive targeted ads for that treatment, while others said that their discussions about Air Jordan sneakers, Pit Viper sunglasses, and Olive Garden resulted in targeted ads.
That is not how Siri works and there has been no evidence that Apple has ever provided Siri recordings to advertisers. People have long accused social networks of listening in on their conversations and using those discussions for ad purposes, but this has never been proven.
Though it may be difficult for the plaintiffs to prove that Apple is providing Siri recordings to advertisers, Apple found itself embroiled in a Siri-related scandal in 2019 after it was revealed that Apple had contractors listening to Siri recordings where they heard private conversations involving drug deals, medical info, and more after Siri was accidentally activated.
Human-based Siri analysis was never a secret, but at the time, Apple's privacy terms did not make it clear that people could potentially hear conversations that were recorded via Siri. Apple temporarily suspended its Siri evaluation program and then ultimately implemented options to delete Siri recordings and to block them from being listened to. Apple also stopped using contractors.
Apple in iOS 15 has gone even further with Siri privacy and many Siri requests will now be handled entirely on device, so Siri content is not uploaded to Apple's servers for processing.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are permitted to pursue claims that Apple violated the federal Wiretap Act and California privacy law, in addition to breach of contract. The lawsuit has requested $5,000 per violation from Apple.
Apple introduced the iPad mini 6 in September 2021 alongside new iPhones. As rumors predicted, the tablet has an updated 8.3-inch screen size with slimmer bezels and no Home button. It instead adopts a Touch ID power button.
Design wise, the iPad mini 6 features the same flat-edged design introduced with other iPhone and iPad models, and it's essentially a mini iPad Air. This guide is an archive of all the rumors that we heard about the iPad mini before it launched.
With no Home button, the iPad mini 6 is expected to get the same Touch ID power button as the iPad Air, but it's not yet clear whether it will get a USB-C port or continue to use Lightning. It could also include a Smart Connector for use with accessories like the Magic Keyboard.
Based on a case maker's mockup that leaked in August, the iPad mini 6 could have volume buttons located at the top of the tablet rather than at the right side, which would be a major design change.
Renders
Leaker Jon Prossershared renders of what the iPad mini will allegedly look like. It features an edge-to-edge display and a USB-C port.
Prosser says that the iPad mini will measure in at 206.3mm x 137.8mm x 6.1mm, and he claims that it will come with a new, smaller Apple Pencil.
iPad mini 6 Case
A case designed for the new iPad mini 6 demonstrates where the new volume buttons that have been moved to the top of the device rather than the side of the device.
The case also features square edges that match the rumors that the iPad mini will adopt an iPad Air-like design, and it has a cutout for a single-lens camera. The top-aligned volume buttons will provide space for the Apple Pencil to attach to and charge from the side of the device.
Processor
Rumors suggest the iPad mini 6 will feature an A14 chip, which is the chip that's used in the iPhone 12 lineup.
Mini-LED Display?
Back in 2020, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple was working on an iPad mini with an LED display, a device he expected to launch late in the year. That didn't happen, and mini-LED rumors died down until DigiTimes said in July 2021 that the iPad mini 6 would feature a mini-LED display.
Unfortunately, display analyst Ross Young believes DigiTimes' information is inaccurate, and he says that the iPad mini 6 will not include a mini-LED display, which perhaps makes sense because right now, mini-LED is limited to the highest-end iPad Pro model and the iPad mini is offered at a much more affordable price tag.
Young said that he spoke to Radiant Opto-Electronics, the supplier that DigiTimes claimed would be manufacturing the display. Mini-LED technology would allow for thinner and lighter product designs while also offering good wide color gamut performance, high contrast and HDR, and local dimming, which dims the backlight behind black areas of the screen while keeping bright parts lit.
Release Date
The iPad mini 6 is set to be released this fall, but a specific launch date hasn't been nailed down yet. Apple is going to hold an event in September to unveil the iPhone 13 and the Apple Watch Series 7, but the iPad mini 6 is likely to come later. Apple is expected to hold multiple fall events this year, so we could see the iPad mini 6 in October or November.
A now removed product listing for a screen protector for the iPad mini suggested it would be available the week of October 20, which would line up with an October 19 event.
The first AR/VR headset that Apple has in development will need to be wirelessly tethered to an iPhone or another Apple device to unlock full functionality, reports The Information.
It will be similar to the WiFi-only version of the Apple Watch, which requires an iPhone connection to work. The headset is meant to wirelessly communicate with another Apple device, which will handle most of the powerful computing.
According to The Information, Apple recently completed work on the 5-nanometer custom chips that are set to be used in the headset, and that's where the connectivity detail comes from.
Apple has completed the key system on a chip (SoC) that will power the headset, along with two additional chips. All three chips have hit the tape-out stage, so work on the physical design has wrapped up and it's now time for trial production.
The chips are not as powerful as the chips used in Apple's Macs and iOS devices, without a neural engine for AI and machine learning capabilities. The chip is designed to optimize for wireless data transmission, compressing and decompressing video, and power efficiency for maximum battery life.
Though designed to work with an iOS device, the headset has a CPU and GPU, so there's a chance that it could have a standalone mode with limited functionality.
TSMC is manufacturing the chips that will be used in the headset, and mass production is said to be at least a year away. The first AR/VR headset could be released as soon as 2022, but the launch could also be pushed back if work on the device is not completed in time.
The Information has also heard that work has been completed on the image sensor and display driver for the headset, and TSMC is still working out issues with the image sensor given its large size. TSMC is working to increase the yield that it is getting during trial production.
This AR/VR headset that's in development is separate from a set of augmented reality smart glasses that are in the works. The sleeker, smaller smart glasses will follow the headset and are expected to launch in 2023.
"Dickinson" was one of the first TV shows to be available on the Apple TV+ streaming service when it launched in November 2019, and it is set to wrap up with the third season, Apple announced today.
Season two of "Dickinson" premiered earlier this year, and season three is set to premiere on Friday, November 5. In the third season, Emily Dickinson (played by Hailee Steinfeld) sees her productivity fall amid the American Civil War and a battle that divides her own family. She tries to heal the divide around her, wondering if art can keep hope alive and if the future can be better than the past.
"Dickinson" stars Toby Huss, Adrian Blake Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, Amanda Warren, Chinaza Uche, and Jane Krakowski will return, as will Wiz Khalifa, who plays Death. Guest stars will include Billy Eichner, Chloe Fineman, Zosia Mamet, Will Pullen, and more.
The first three episodes will come out on November 5, with the remaining seven following on a Friday release schedule.
Apple on Wednesday evening announced that, starting in early 2022, it will allow developers of "reader" apps to include an in-app link to their website for users to set up or manage an account. "Reader" apps allow a user to access previously purchased content or subscription-based content for digital magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video, according to Apple, such as Netflix, Spotify, and the Amazon Kindle app.
Following the announcement, some developers have said Apple's decision is not good enough.
For starters, some have criticized Apple's plan to let developers share only "a single link" to their website to help users set up and manage their account. Apple is still considering the types of wording it will let developers use for these links, according to The Irish Independent's Adrian Weckler, but some developers doubt that Apple will let them mention that customers can save money by signing up outside of the app.
Apple’s press release does make the bold assumption that no further changes to its steering practices are going to be mandated over the remaining months of the year 😅 Restricting it to ‘Reader’ apps, and a single in-app link, is just not enough
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) September 2, 2021
Sure, your “reader” app can include one (1) approved link to your website…but will you be allowed to have any text near that link explaining why someone might want to tap on it, or is that still forbidden? This is where we are, mentally, when considering App Store rules in 2021.
— John Siracusa (@siracusa) September 2, 2021
Tweetbot co-creator Paul Haddad expressed disappointment that smaller developers "now have to subsidize all these big publishers" given that Apple's in-app link allowance will be limited to "reader" apps, many of which are owned by large companies.
Yeah I’m bitter our App Store commission is supposed to help pay for iOS/SDK development and App Store hosting + review. Feels like a kick in the balls to now have to subsidize all these big publishers. Doing it for the multi billion $ ad based apps was already bad enough.
— Paul Haddad (@tapbot_paul) September 2, 2021
Other developers and critics have expressed that Apple is doing the "minimum" possible to address longstanding App Store antitrust concerns. At the center of the concerns is Apple's 15% to 30% commission on in-app purchases of digital goods and the inability for developers to offer their own payment methods through the App Store.
2/ It really is that small of a change to a rule that was customer and developer hostile to begin with. It is a big deal, but also not. As with the settlement last week, Apple is very deftly giving the absolute minimum possible. But they are giving.
— David Barnard (@drbarnard) September 2, 2021
Yeah, that’s a fair read. Using these settlements to do the bare minimum while *appearing* to be yielding (which they are here a bit, but they could give on so much more, per your point!).
— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) September 2, 2021
Apple said its decision to allow "reader" apps to include an in-app link to their website for account management closes an investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission over suspected violation of Japan's Antimonopoly Act, although Apple said the change will apply globally.
Apple's announcement about "reader" apps came less than a week after the company reached a $100 million settlement that, pending court approval, will resolve a class action lawsuit from U.S. developers who alleged that Apple has a monopoly on the distribution of iOS apps and in-app purchases. Apple said it will be making a few App Store changes as part of that settlement, such as letting developers email customers about payment options outside of their iOS app, but some developers were likewise not impressed with the concessions.
With Apple's third-generation AirPods believed to be arriving alongside the iPhone 13, which is just a few weeks away, we have compiled all of the coherent rumors from our news coverage to build a full picture of the features and upgrades coming to the company's next-generation wireless earbuds.
AirPods 3 clones in a clear case, reportedly showing the next-generation design.
It is worth noting that the rumors below are aggregated from our coverage from a wide range of sources, including leakers, analysts, and publications. The reliability of each source varies, so some of the rumored features may be taken with a pinch of salt.
Nevertheless, the overall view of the third-generation AirPods rumors gives a good idea of many of the upcoming upgrades and what users can largely expect from the true wireless earbuds when they are officially revealed in the near future.
AirPods Pro-like design with shorter stems and a larger in-ear shell.
Next-generation wireless chip, replacing the Apple H1 headphone chip. It is the same chip expected to come to the second-generation AirPods Pro, will feature a smaller System-in-Package and could offer improved efficiency, longer range, and better performance.
Force sensor controls on the stems like the AirPods Pro, replacing the tap-based controls of the first and second-generation AirPods.
Pressure relief system with vents brought over from the AirPods Pro, designed to equalize pressure within the ear to relieve discomfort when using the AirPods for a long period of time.
Charging case with Qi wireless chargingas standard, with no need to upgrade to a higher-spec charging case.
It would also not be unreasonable to expect the next-generation AirPods to feature improved sound quality and better battery life, but there have been no rumors about these aspects thus far.
The entry-level AirPods are expected to continue to forgo higher-end features such as Active Noise Cancelation and Transparency to remain clearly differentiated from the AirPods Pro. This may also explain the continued absence of in-ear silicone tips.
Apple's second-generation AirPods launched in March 2019, making them almost two and a half years old. If these new features do come to the third-generation AirPods, the new model could shape up to be a worthwhile upgrade for many users. 52audio believes that the new AirPods will be priced at $150.
A normal-looking Lightning cable that can used to steal data like passwords and send it to a hacker has been developed, Vice reports.
The "OMG Cable" compared to Apple's Lightning to USB cable.
The "OMG Cable" works exactly like a normal Lightning to USB cable and can log keystrokes from connected Mac keyboards, iPads, and iPhones, and then send this data to a bad actor who could be over a mile away. They work by creating a Wi-Fi hotspot that a hacker can connect to, and using a simple web app they can record keystrokes.
The cables also include geofencing features that allow users to trigger or block the device's payloads based on its location, preventing the leakage of payloads or keystrokes from other devices being collected. Other features include the ability to change keyboard mappings and the ability to forge the identity of USB devices.
The cables contain a small implanted chip and are physically the same size as authentic cables, making it extremely difficult to identify a malicious cable. The implant itself apparently takes up around half of the length of a USB-C connector's plastic shell, allowing the cable to continue to operate as normal.
An x-ray view of the implanted chip inside the USB-C end of an OMG Cable.
The cables, made as part of a series of penetration testing tools by the security researcher known as "MG," have now entered mass production to be sold by the cybersecurity vendor Hak5. The cables are available in a number of versions, including Lightning to USB-C, and can visually mimic cables from a range of accessory manufacturers, making them a noteworthy threat to device security.
Following a report earlier this week from Nikkei Asia that claimed volume production of upcoming Apple Watch Series 7 models had been delayed due to manufacturing challenges, a new report has offered a more specific timeframe.
According to a paywalled preview of a DigiTimes report, suppliers are scheduled to ramp up Apple Watch Series 7 production starting at the end of September. That timeframe could indeed reflect a short delay in production, as Nikkei Asia had reported that Apple Watch Series 7 mass production was originally slated to begin around mid-September.
It's unclear if any production delay would affect launch timing of the Apple Watch Series 7. Apple has unveiled new Apple Watch models in September for five consecutive years, dating back to the Apple Watch Series 2 in 2016. Even with reported production delays, the Apple Watch Series 7 could still be announced in September as well, but pre-orders could face lengthier shipping estimates due to short supply.
The manufacturing challenges are in large part due to the Apple Watch Series 7 having a new design, according to Nikkei Asia. The watch is expected to feature a new flat-edged casing based on information shared by Jon Prosser, host of the YouTube channel Front Page Tech, while Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Series 7 models will be available in larger 41mm and 45mm sizes, compared to 40mm and 44mm sizes for the Series 6.
Nikkei Asia's report also claimed that the Apple Watch Series 7 will be able to measure blood pressure, but Gurman said this is not true.
MacBook Pros
In a separate report today, DigiTimes claimed that ongoing supply chain shortages will likely result in the rumored 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an Apple silicon chip and a mini-LED display being launched in October or November. The report cites sources who believe Apple's fall 2021 product launches will likely follow a similar format as fall 2020, with multiple events spread across several months.
The new MacBook Pro models are expected to have a new design with a flatter top and bottom, and several ports are expected to return, including an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a connector for a magnetic power cable.
A long-time alternative to Apple's Files app has been Documents, developed by Readdle. Today, the company is launching "Documents X," intending to speed up everyday productivity tasks and offer users a refreshed design.
At the heart of Documents X is a feature Readdle is calling "Smart Actions." Smart Actions are contextual actions that are recommended to users depending on an action they just took. For example, if a user uploads a file to Dropbox or Google Drive, the app may suggest that the user shares the link. If a user downloads a music video, they may get presented with a Smart Action to extract the audio from the video.
The number of Smart Actions is rather extensive and is built directly into the app without launching external apps or services to perform them. Readdle says all the actions are "performed locally, which means that your files and activities don’t leave the device."
Documents X is also built on an updated design philosophy Readdle is calling "FOCUS." FOCUS aims to reduce complexity for the in-app experience while maintaining a high level of attention to detail and simplicity. The new design includes updated colors, icons, menus, controls, and more that have been "thoughtfully designed."
The unusual system, spotted by Jane Manchun Wong, means that for every Super Follow there is an individual in-app purchase for that account specifically. Some observers are speculating that each Super Follow in-app purchase will have to be set up manually by Twitter on the App Store, making the system even more unconventional.
The App Store does not allow for multiple instances of the same subscription, leading other platforms such as YouTube and Twitch to get around this by effectively allowing users to buy a sub-token that can be directed toward a specific creator.
This means that there will be thousands of Twitter in-app purchases, dwarfing Twitter's own Twitter Blue subscription and Ticketed Spaces, Twitter's App Store page will only show 10 in-app purchases since it would be impractical to show the entire list.
Twitter announced Super Follows earlier this year, allowing creators with at least 10,000 Followers to charge up to $9.99 per month as a subscription for access to exclusive tweets. Twitter takes a three percent cut of Super Follow subscriptions up to a total of $50,000, making Apple's 30 percent in-app purchase fee markedly larger.
The feature finally launched yesterday, starting in the United States and Canada, but it will be rolling out globally on iOS in the next few weeks.
The "OMG Cable" compared to Apple's Lightning to USB cable.
An x-ray view of the implanted chip inside the USB-C end of an OMG Cable.
