MacRumors

Western Digital is advising owners of its My Book Live storage drives to disconnect them from the internet until further notice, following reports from around the world that some devices have been compromised and wiped clean by malicious software.

The WD My Book Live is the company's network-attached storage device with the book-style design that can stand upright on a desk. The drive is typically connected to computers via USB and connects to a local network via ethernet. Meanwhile, the WD My Book Live app lets users access their stored files remotely through Western Digital's cloud servers.

As reported by BleepingComputer, My Book Live and Live Duo device owners on Thursday began flooding Western Digital's support forums with reports that all of their files had been mysteriously deleted and that they could no longer access the device via the offical app or a browser.

"I have a WD My Book live connected to my home LAN that's worked fine for years," wrote the first poster in a now-long thread. "I have just found that somehow all the data on it is gone today, while the directories seems there but empty. Previously the 2T volume was almost full but now it shows full capacity."

When they attempted to log in using the drive's web dashboard, the drive told them they had an invalid password. Many other owners have also confirmed that their device has been hit with the same issue. "All my data is gone too," another user said. "I am totally screwed without that data... years of it."

Following further reports, a pattern has gradually emerged in shared device logs that points to a remote command initiating a factory reset on affected devices beginning at around 3:00 p.m. on Thursday and continuing throughout the night.

Western Digital has advised customers in a new support notice to disconnect their My Book Live devices while the company investigates the destructive attacks. The company has since told BleepingComputer they are actively investigating the attacks but do not believe it was a compromise of their servers.

"Western Digital has determined that some My Book Live devices are being compromised by malicious software. In some cases, this compromise has led to a factory reset that appears to erase all data on the device. The My Book Live device received its final firmware update in 2015. We understand that our customers' data is very important. At this time, we recommend you disconnect your My Book Live from the Internet to protect your data on the device. We are actively investigating and we will provide updates to this thread when they are available."

If the company is correct in saying its servers haven't been hacked, it's unclear how so many My Book Live accounts could be compromised at or around the same time. We've asked for more information from Western Digital regarding the matter and will post an update to this story if we hear anything back, but the advice for device owners for now is clear: Disconnect your My Book Live.

Facebook has confirmed rumors that it is testing the ability for Instagram users to post to the picture-based social media platform using a web browser on a desktop computer.

With its focus on sharing photos taken with a smartphone camera, Facebook-owned Instagram has long been a mobile-centric social network that lacks many of its basic features in its web browser incarnation, including the ability to post.

In May, the first leaked images of web-based Instagram post creation tools surfaced, showing the ability to natively drag and drop photos and videos from a desktop computer for upload, as well as options to crop the content, apply filters, and compose accompanying text for publishing to feeds.

No official comment was forthcoming that could shed light on what appeared to be early internal testing of the feature. However, following another series of images shared courtesy of social media consultant Matt Navarra, Facebook has now publicly confirmed via Bloomberg that the feature is indeed in the works.

"We know that many people access Instagram from their computer," said Facebook spokeswoman Christine Pai. "To improve that experience, we're now testing the ability to create a Feed post on Instagram with their desktop browser."

There's still no word on an official Instagram app built specifically for iPad, but presumably a browser-based way of posting would offer an alternative option for tablet users.

Apple seeded the second betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to developers today for testing, and in addition to SharePlay being enabled in FaceTime, there are some other smaller changes and details that we've gathered up below.

First and foremost, Apple has fixed a long list of bugs in the second betas, as outlined in the release notes. For example, Apple has resolved an issue that caused iCloud Private Relay to function unexpectedly and more. The release notes also indicate the second beta of iPadOS 15 is not available for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro (WiFi + Cellular) released in 2015, although Apple did not provide a reason why.

There's a new Apple Maps icon visible in the second betas, with the Interstate 280 shield removed from the bottom-right corner.

As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the second beta of iPadOS 15 allows users to swipe from the bottom right to open the Quick Note toggle using a finger. This feature was announced at WWDC earlier this month, but it required an Apple Pencil in the first beta.

There are also new Memoji outfits and customization options, user interface tweaks across Safari and other apps, and a new splash screen for the redesigned Weather app, so be sure to check out the MacRumors forum thread with a running list of changes in the second betas.

As a developer beta, iOS 15 is officially only available to those enrolled in the Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 per year. A free public beta will be available in July, and the software update will be released in the fall.

Let us know in the comments section if you spot any other changes.

Apple today seeded the second betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to developers for testing, and one notable change is that SharePlay has now been enabled in FaceTime, allowing for two users on the latest beta to share their screens to view apps together and more.

SharePlay allows users to share experiences while connecting with friends and family on FaceTime, such as watching an Apple TV+ show in sync. SharePlay is functional in the Apple TV and Apple Music apps as of the second beta of iOS 15.

According to Jordi Bruin, the developer of a new Navi app that will bring subtitles and translation to FaceTime calls, Apple has also started accepting apps that use the GroupActivities framework through App Store Connect, meaning third-party apps offering SharePlay integration will likely be available in beta through TestFlight soon.

As a developer beta, iOS 15 is officially only available to those enrolled in the Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 per year. A free public beta will be available in July, and the software update will be released in the fall.

Apple today seeded the second betas of iOS and iPadOS 15 to developers for testing purposes, with the updates coming two weeks after Apple unveiled the new software and released the first betas.

Registered developers can download the profile for the first iOS and iPadOS betas from the Apple Developer Center, and once the profile is installed, beta updates will be available over the air. It's best to install iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 on a secondary device because this is early release software that could have issues.

Apple has resolved a long list of bugs in the second betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, according to the release notes. Apple says the second beta of iPadOS 15 isn't available for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro (WiFi + Cellular) for unspecified reasons.

iOS 15 is a major update that introduces a slew of new features focused on cutting down on distractions and spending more time with friends and family. FaceTime has a revamped interface with new SharePlay features for listening to music, watching videos, and sharing your screen with your friends and family members, and in Messages, if something like a url, photo, news article, or song is shared with you, you can see the content in Apple's dedicated apps.

Focus lets you create custom notification modes that hide irrelevant apps and notifications when you're doing things like working or spending time with your family so you can better focus on the activity at hand, and there's a new notification summary that de-prioritizes less important notifications so you're not constantly inundated with information.

Maps has a new 3D view in select cities that lets you see 3D landmarks, there are immersive AR directions when walking, and driving directions are better than ever, especially at complex interchanges.

Safari now supports Tab Groups for improved organization, and extensions can be used in Safari for iOS devices for the first time. Later this year you'll be able to add your ID card to the Wallet app in some U.S. states, and Apple is making it easier to add key cards for hotels, smart home locks, and more to the Wallet app.

Spotlight is better than ever and can bring up more tailored search results, and Photos has a "Live Text" feature that lets you take a photo of something with text like a receipt to translate it into typed text on your iPhone. ‌Photos‌ can also identify landmarks, books, plants, and pets, so you can snap a photo of a plant and get information on what it might be.

There are also tons of privacy improvements like a new App Privacy report coming to the ‌iPhone‌ that will let you know how often apps access sensitive info like your location, and Siri processing is now done on device.

For a complete overview of everything that's new in iOS 15, we have a dedicated roundup that walks through all of the new features. iOS 15 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple plans to make a public beta version of the update available in July.

Apple today seeded the second beta of the upcoming watchOS 8 update to developers for testing purposes, with the second beta coming a little over two weeks after Apple first revealed watchOS 8 at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

To install ‌watchOS 8‌, 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. It's not recommended to install ‌watchOS 8‌ on a main Apple Watch as the software may be unstable at this early date.

watchOS 8 has several new features that are extensions of new features introduced in iOS 15. There are improvements to Wallet that allow it to hold keys for unlocking hotel, car, and home doors, plus Apple will let U.S. users add their IDs to Wallet later this year.

Apple overhauled the Home app, and for the Workout app, there are new Tai Chi and Pilates workout types, and the Breathe app has been renamed to Mindfulness thanks to a new Reflect session that invites users to get into a positive state of mind. When sleeping, the Apple Watch now measures respiratory rate.

Focus mode from iOS 15 syncs to the watch so users can stay on task, and in the Messages app, Scribble, dictation, and emojis can be combined within the same message, making it easier to communicate. Dictated text can be edited, and GIFs can be sent right from the watch.

There's a new Portrait watch face, and the Photos app has been updated with support for Memories and Featured ‌Photos‌. A new Find My app lets items be located right on the wrist, and there are also new updates for Music, Weather, Timers, and more, along with a new Contacts app.

‌watchOS 8‌ is only available to developers at the current time, but a public beta will be released at some point in July.

Apple today seeded the second beta of the upcoming tvOS 15 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming a little over two weeks after Apple released the first beta.

Developers can download the new tvOS 15 beta by downloading a profile onto the ‌Apple TV‌ using Xcode.

Apple shared little about tvOS 15 during its keynote event, but there are some new features that are coming to the operating system. SharePlay, a FaceTime feature that lets multiple users watch TV shows or movies together, will integrate with tvOS, and there's a new "For All of You" recommendation engine that suggests shows everyone might enjoy.

A Shared With You section also displays movies and shows that were shared with you through the Messages app so you remember to check them out. When paired with AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, the ‌Apple TV‌ supports Spatial audio for a theater-like surround sound experience, and there's a new feature for automatically connecting your AirPods through Smart AirPods routing.

Two HomePod mini speakers can be paired with the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K for stereo sound, and if you have HomeKit cameras, you can view multiple cameras at the same time on the ‌Apple TV‌.

tvOS 15 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple will provide a public beta of the software to public beta testers starting in July.

Apple today celebrated the grand opening of its new retail store at the historic Tower Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, and Apple's CEO Tim Cook and retail chief Deirdre O'Brien were both in attendance for the occasion.

Other notable individuals in attendance included YouTubers such as Justine Ezarik (iJustine), who shared the photos above, and Brian Tong.

As usual, Cook posed for photos with attendees and celebrated alongside retail employees as the first customers entered the store.

Apple Tower Theatre is one of Apple's most significant restoration projects to date. Apple said it collaborated with leading preservationists, restoration artists, and the City of Los Angeles to thoughtfully preserve and restore the theater, which was designed in 1927 by renowned motion-picture theater architect S. Charles Lee.

Apple Tower Theatre will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Following his company's reveal of Windows 11, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella sat down with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern to discuss the next generation of Windows and the possibility of Apple bringing some of its services, such as iMessage, to Windows.

One major theme of Windows 11 is its openness to third-party app marketplaces and Microsoft's end goal of making the platform a center of creativity outside the bounds of its own Microsoft App Store. Windows 11 will allow users to run Android apps, but the integration with Windows and iPhone is lacking. In that regard, Nadella says Microsoft would "love to make sure that it works better," referencing the iPhone and Windows.

The CEO goes on to say that, like other companies, Apple is welcome to doing anything it wants on Windows, including bringing iMessage to the platform. iMessage has been a hallmark of Apple's devices, and despite the Cupertino tech giant partially opening FaceTime to Android and Windows later this year, iMessage remains an Apple product exclusive.

As part of the legal battle between Epic Games and Apple, court filings including internal emails between high-ranking Apple executives revealed that at one point in time, Apple had considered bringing iMessage to Android.

According to the emails, the executives felt that bringing iMessage to a competing platform "would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones." While not explicitly stating Windows, Apple bringing iMessage to its largest computer competitor could be a business disadvantage.

Microsoft today held an event where it unveiled Windows 11, the next generation of Windows with a new design, new versatility capabilities, gaming improvements, and more. One notable announcement was that, starting with Windows 11, PCs will be able to run Android apps.

Logically, Microsoft would partner with the Google Play Store to offer Android apps on its platforms. However, the company is taking a different route, partnering with Amazon to open Windows 11 to Android apps. As reported by The Verge, users will search for an Android app offered through the Amazon app marketplace directly within the newly redesigned Microsoft App Store.

Android apps will run on the platform using Intel's "bridge technology." Like traditional Windows apps, Android apps can be added to the new centered Windows taskbar, pinned, and snapped to different multitasking modes. Specific details remain unknown, such as hardware requirements and developers' need to make their Android apps runnable on Windows 11.

Microsoft's announcement draws comparisons to Apple's announcement with macOS Big Sur last year and its transition to Apple silicon. Thanks to Apple silicon and the common architecture shared among Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, macOS can now run ‌iPhone‌ apps.

Despite Apple's best intentions, the experience of running iOS apps on Apple silicon Macs has been rough due to Mac's input being fully trackpad and keyboard-based, compared to the direct touch experience the apps were initially designed for. Apple has attempted to solve the issue by introducing touch alternatives, which turn the Mac trackpad into a "virtual touch screen."

Apple may have tested "Smart Bands" for the Apple Watch, according to a new image of a prototype device.

The image, shared by developer and prototype collector Giulio Zompetti, shows two metal contacts inside an Apple Watch Series 3 prototype's band slot, either side of the diagnostic port. Zompetti postulated that the "two unusual pads are exposed to the band," and may be a kind of iPad-like "Smart Connector," much like those from various iPad models, used to accommodate a "Smart Band."

Apple has filed a large number of patents around smart Apple Watch bands, indicating that it is something that the company has actively considered. Some patents showed how features such as biometric authentication, self-tightening, and LED progress indicators could be integrated into a band, while others explained a modular approach with batteries, displays, cameras, blood pressure sensors, and more.

The Apple Watch's hidden diagnostic port was once speculated to facilitate Smart Bands. At the time, the diagnostic connector, which is purportedly based on the design of the Lightning connector, was said to be capable of supporting future accessories.

Third-party accessory makers were able to develop an external battery band that could charge the Apple Watch through the diagnostic port, but changes to the Apple Watch's software prevented the strap from ever coming to market. However, other smart bands not reliant on the diagnostic port have become available in recent years.

In the past, Zompetti has shared images of prototype versions of the original Apple Watch, first-generation iPad, third-generation iPod touch, and iPhone 12 Pro.

Apple today announced it will be releasing new "Time to Walk" episodes for Apple Fitness+ subscribers starting June 28.

"Time to Walk" launched in January and features audio stories from influential people that Apple Watch users can listen to with AirPods or other wireless headphones while walking. The episodes are automatically downloaded to the Apple Watch with an Apple Fitness+ subscription, and users can start an episode directly from the Workout app.

Starting June 28, users can listen to an episode from "Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez, who talks about learning resilience from her dad and how she built confidence in everything from her body image to feeling part of a community.

Additional episodes coming next week will feature guests such as Olympic gold medalist boxer Anthony Joshua, supermodel and activist Naomi Campbell, writer and actor Stephen Fry, CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and others.

On June 28, Apple Fitness+ will also be getting a new "Artist Spotlight" series, where the entire playlist for a workout is dedicated to a single music artist, starting with Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Lady Gaga. Apple said new workouts featuring each artist will appear in Apple Fitness+ every Monday for four weeks.

Last, Apple Fitness+ will be getting a new series of workouts from renowned fitness expert Jeanette Jenkins. On June 28, seven workouts with Jenkins focusing on high-intensity interval training and strength will be available.

Apple Fitness+ launched in December 2020, providing subscribers with access to a library of workout videos in the Fitness app, with new content added on a weekly basis. The service integrates personal metrics such as heart rate from the Apple Watch to motivate users, animating them on the screen during key moments in the workout.

Apple Fitness+ is currently available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. After a one-month trial, the service is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year in the United States.

Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien recently spoke with CNBC's Josh Lipton about the future of Apple Stores amid a transition to a post-pandemic world.

As noted by 9to5Mac's Michael Steeber, June 15 marked the first day that all Apple Store locations were open around the world, as public health restrictions begin to ease in many countries. O'Brien confirmed that all Apple Store locations are now open, adding that more people are getting out and about as life returns to a more familiar state.

O'Brien does not anticipate a "major shift" in operations moving forward, but Apple does continue to offer customers one-on-one shopping sessions with a Specialist as well as Genius Bar reservations at many locations. The retail chief expects Apple Stores to remain a "hub of activity" with free "Today at Apple" creative sessions and more.

Apple has over 500 stores around the world, including a new Tower Theatre location in Downtown Los Angeles that opens today.

The highly reliable Apple leaker known as "Kang" and a number of other unspecified leakers have reportedly received warnings from lawyers representing Apple.

According to posts on Kang's Weibo account, Apple recently commissioned a law firm to send admonitory letters to a number of leakers.

The letter purportedly cautioned leakers that they must not disclose information about unreleased Apple projects because it may give Apple's competitors valuable information and "mislead customers, because what is disclosed may not be accurate."

Apple purportedly grabbed screenshots of Kang's Weibo as evidence, which included him talking about problems he experienced with the iPhone, product release dates, and purchase suggestions for his followers, as well as more casual posts.

Kang went on to give his personal opinion on the situation. Kang explained that since "I have never published undisclosed product pictures" or sold his information, Apple must take exception to "riddles and dreams" about its undisclosed projects. Apple leaks vaguely characterized as "dreams" have been popularized in recent years by leakers such as "L0vetodream," providing some insiders with a fun mechanism to hint at Apple's future plans without giving too much away.

Even "dreaming will violate their confidentiality mechanism," according to Kang, who said that under Apple's logic "if I have a dream, Apple's competitors will obtain effective information." "Without sending pictures or leaking pictures, I am still used as a target," he said.

Kang commented that "I won't post riddles and dreams in the future," suggested that he will be deleting some previous posts on social media, and expressed the need to "tone back" posting about Apple since "talking will be audited."

Kang argued that he had not misled consumers and said that he was still within his right to make his feelings known about Apple's smartphone experience, remarking that "your company should not interfere with my Weibo."

He also warned other bloggers, saying that if they do not want to "cause trouble... then don't post anything they don't want to tell the public." Even if "you haven't signed any agreement... they think it is infringement and abuse of commercial information."

Kang has been among the most reliable Apple leakers, with successive detailed leaks about Apple's future product and software plans that turned out to be correct. Kang leaked the full details of the iPhone 12 lineup and the HomePod mini before they launched. According to AppleTrack, Kang also correctly leaked a plethora of information about the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ SE, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 6, iPad 8, and iPad Air 4 prior to launch. In addition, Kang leaked extensive details about Apple's software updates for WWDC in 2020.

U.K. mobile operator EE plans to charge customers almost $3 (£2) a day to use data roaming within the EU, a result of the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, BBC reports.

The new charge will go into effect in January 2022, and at first, will only apply to new EE customers or customers upgrading their plan and contract from July 7, 2021. Initially, EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone, representing the largest mobile operators in the U.K., stated they had no plans to reintroduce the charge. EE has, however, changed its mind and claims the new charge will "support investment."

Mobile networks in EU countries are not allowed to charge customers extra to use their phones in other EU countries, within fair use limits.

EE, O2, Three and Vodafone had all stated they had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges, despite Brexit giving them the option to do so.

EE said the charges would "support investment into our UK based customer service and leading UK network". However, it will not charge UK customers extra to use their phones in the Republic of Ireland.

Mobile operator O2 also says it plans to reintroduce the roaming charges, but notes that it is adding a "fair use" data limit of 25GB a month, and "will not charge customers more to use their phones in the EU," according to BBC.

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.

Last month, Zoom added support for the new Center Stage feature exclusive to Apple's latest iPad Pro models, and this month the popular video conferencing app is back with another update containing several interface improvements and usability features on iOS.

Notable enhancements in version 5.7.0 of the app include a better iPad "visual experience", support for individual call participants to request Live Transcription, custom video filters, scheduling privileges, consistent date formatting, and pairing with Zoom Rooms on the Zoom desktop client.

In addition, there's enhanced data privacy notifications for chat channels with enhanced chat encryption, the ability to display several phone numbers in user contact cards, and enhancements to the invite by phone option.

This update also introduces a new field for gender pronouns, along with options to choose when they're displayed. Pronouns appear in parentheses next to people's names during a call, as well as under names on user profile cards.

Users can also choose if they want their pronoun to be shared in meetings and in webinars. The new profile settings let users "always share" (the default), "do not share," or "ask me every time" if pronouns should be displayed in each meeting.

Version 5.7.0 of Zoom for iOS is available on the App Store.

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.