MacRumors

Vodafone is bringing back roaming charges for U.K. users traveling in Europe, the second mobile operator do so post-Brexit after originally saying they had no plans to re-introduce them.

New and upgrading customers on "selected plans" will be charged at least £1 per day to use their mobile phone in EU destinations.

The rules will change for new and upgrading customers from Wednesday, August 11, though the charges will not apply until January, BBC News reports.

"Existing customers will not be impacted by these changes while they remain on their current price plan, and roaming in the Republic of Ireland will still be included for all customers," Vodafone said.

After January, affected customers will pay £2 a day to use their allowance in Europe, or £1 if bought in an eight or 15-day bundle. Fair-usage limits of 25GB of roaming data a month apply.

Before the U.K. formally exited the European Union, mobile customers generally didn't have to worry about roaming charges when using their phone in the EU, with most phone tariffs counting calls, texts, and data used in EU countries as equivalent to domestic use since 2017.

However, when the EU trade deal was signed in December 2020, mobile operators were once again able to charge customers when traveling in Europe with "transparent and reasonable rates."

EE was the first operator to announce new roaming charges in June. EE's charges go into effect in January 2022, and at first, only apply to new EE customers or customers upgrading their plan and contract from July 7, 2021.

Originally, EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone, representing the largest mobile operators in the U.K., stated they had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges after Brexit, but all have since announced changes, some under a "fair use" clause. O2 allows a roaming limit of 25GB, with any data used over that charged at £3.50 per gigabyte, while Three has cut its data limit from 20GB a month to 12GB.

Parallels Desktop 17 was released today, bringing native support for Windows 11 and macOS Monterey to both Intel and Apple silicon Macs, as well as a range of performance and compatibility improvements.

It's worth noting from the off that the versions of Windows that Parallels 17 can run on an M1 Mac are currently limited to the Insider Previews for Windows 10 and Windows 11, due to their compatibility with ARM-based hardware. However, Parallels has promised that when Windows 11 is officially released to the public, the virtualization software will be able to run it.

With that caveat, for both ‌M1‌ and Intel systems, Parallels 17 resumes Windows and Linux up to 38% faster compared to the previous version, and benefits from a sixfold increase in OpenGL graphics processing and up to a 25% improvement in 2D graphics performance, according to the company.

If you're running it on an Apple silicon machine, expect 33% faster Windows startup times, up to 20% better disk performance on Windows 10 Insider Preview, and up to 28% faster DirectX 11 performance.

Elsewhere, Parallels has improved its Coherence mode, which lets you run a windows app without launching the full virtual machine. Coherence will now window shutdowns, updates, and sign-in screens, while drag-and-drop between Windows and Mac apps has been enhanced, with support for dragging text and images between windows, including support for Quick Notes in Monterey.

‌M1‌ users can also now use BitLocker and Secure Boot thanks to a virtualized TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip. Windows 10 will also recognize macOS battery status and turn on battery saving mode when your Mac runs low on battery.

Parallels Desktop 17 has moved entirely to a subscription model, which means the standard edition costs $79.99 per year, while Pro and Business Editions are available for $99.99 per year. Users who purchased a perpetual license for an earlier version of Parallels Desktop can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 17 for $49.99. A free trial is available to download from the Parallels website.

Apple today began offering refurbished versions of the second-generation 11-inch iPad Pro and fourth-generation 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models that were originally released in March 2020.

Pricing starts at $609 for the 11-inch iPad Pro models, which Apple says is a savings of $90. Pricing on the 12.9-inch models starts at $749, a $200 discount.

The 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ models preceeded the M1 ‌iPad Pro‌ models and introduced new camera technology with an included LiDAR Scanner for depth-sensing capabilities. These iPads are equipped with the A12Z Bionic Chip, an iterative update to the A12X chip that was used for the 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

At the current time, Apple is offering several different colors and capacities, though stock will fluctuate over time. The refurbished 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ models are being sold alongside older models in the refurbished store.

All of Apple's refurbished iPads are sold with the same one-year warranty that's provided with a brand new device, along with all manuals and accessories. Refurbished devices go through a rigorous testing, repair, repackaging, and cleaning process and are identical to new devices.

In April, Apple debuted the new M1 iMac models with a dedicated Touch ID keyboard, marking the first time that ‌Touch ID‌ was available on a standalone keyboard option. At launch, the Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ was only available with the iMac, but last week, Apple made it available to purchase separately from the ‌iMac‌.

For our latest YouTube video, we picked up one of the new ‌Touch ID‌ keyboard models and tested it out with a couple Macs to see just how it works. There are three variants of the keyboard - a standard version without ‌Touch ID‌ for $99, a standard keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ for $149, and a ‌Touch ID‌ keyboard that also has a numeric keypad, which is priced at $179. We tested the $179 full-size version with numpad.

Because it's designed to work with the M1 ‌iMac‌, the Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ is also compatible with other ‌M1‌ Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. On all of these machines, the ‌Touch ID‌ feature is functional.

Design wise, the Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ is similar to prior versions of the Magic Keyboard, but next to the F12 key at the top of the accessory, there's a dedicated ‌Touch ID‌ button with a little fingerprint sensor.

This ‌Touch ID‌ button works the same as the ‌Touch ID‌ button built into ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, authenticating purchases and replacing a password with biometric authentication. It also serves as a sleep/wake button.

As mentioned before, the Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ only works with ‌M1‌ Macs. If you want to use the ‌Touch ID‌ function, it needs to be paired up with one of Apple's latest Macs.

You can use the keyboard with an Intel Mac, but ‌Touch ID‌ is non-functional so it's not worth the cost over a standard keyboard. It's also worth noting that some of the function keys on the new keyboard also don't appear to work well with an Intel Mac. You can remap some of them with Shortcuts, but it's not worth the effort since there's still an option to get a non-Touch ID version of the Magic Keyboard.

With an ‌M1‌ Mac, the Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ works perfectly, and the function keys are operational offering up controls for adjusting brightness, accessing Do Not Disturb, searching, and controlling media playback.

The ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ already have built-in ‌Touch ID‌ buttons, but the keyboard may be useful if you plan to use one of these machines in clamshell mode with an attached display. It's most useful for the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌, which does not have a ‌Touch ID‌ button because it does not ship with peripherals.

The Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ that comes with the ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ is available in multiple colors, but the standalone versions that Apple offers are limited to silver.

Have you picked up one of the new ‌Touch ID‌ keyboards to use with an ‌M1‌ Mac? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Apple Arcade recently surpassed over 200 games available on the subscription-based gaming service, and Apple today previewed two additional titles coming soon. Apple did not provide a specific release date for either game.

"Zookeeper World" from Kiterestu is a new installment in the "Zookeeper" action puzzle game series that will be available exclusively on Apple Arcade. Players will face a variety of challenging match-3 puzzles and collect coins while placing animals, equipment, and plants to increase the zoo's charm to attract more visitors. Players will be able to expand and customize their zoo, upgrade their animals to be unique, and more.

"Zen Pinball Party" from Zen Studios is a pinball game that will feature table designs inspired by DreamWorks Animation and Hasbro brands. Players will challenge their friends and family for the highest score on tables featuring Trolls, Kung-Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, MY LITTLE PONY, Theatre of Magic, Attack from Mars, and more.

In addition, Apple Arcade roleplaying game "Fantasian" from Mistwalker will be receiving a "Part 2" update on Friday. Apple says the latter half of the saga will feature a more quest-driven style of gameplay that can take anywhere between 40 to 60 hours for players to experience. The game was written by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.

Priced at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, Apple Arcade provides access to a catalog of around 200 games without ads or in-app purchases across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, with additional titles added periodically.

Apple today held a questions-and-answers session with reporters regarding its new child safety features, and during the briefing, Apple confirmed that it would be open to expanding the features to third-party apps in the future.

As a refresher, Apple unveiled three new child safety features coming to future versions of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, and/or watchOS 8.

Apple's New Child Safety Features

First, an optional Communication Safety feature in the Messages app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac can warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos. When the feature is enabled, Apple said the Messages app will use on-device machine learning to analyze image attachments, and if a photo is determined to be sexually explicit, the photo will be automatically blurred and the child will be warned.

Second, Apple will be able to detect known Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) images stored in iCloud Photos, enabling Apple to report these instances to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a non-profit organization that works in collaboration with U.S. law enforcement agencies. Apple confirmed today that the process will only apply to photos being uploaded to iCloud Photos and not videos.

Third, Apple will be expanding guidance in Siri and Spotlight Search across devices by providing additional resources to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations. For example, users who ask Siri how they can report CSAM or child exploitation will be pointed to resources for where and how to file a report.

Expansion to Third-Party Apps

Apple said that while it does not have anything to share today in terms of an announcement, expanding the child safety features to third parties so that users are even more broadly protected would be a desirable goal. Apple did not provide any specific examples, but one possibility could be the Communication Safety feature being made available to apps like Snapchat, Instagram, or WhatsApp so that sexually explicit photos received by a child are blurred.

Another possibility is that Apple's known CSAM detection system could be expanded to third-party apps that upload photos elsewhere than iCloud Photos.

Apple did not provide a timeframe as to when the child safety features could expand to third parties, noting that it has still has to complete testing and deployment of the features, and the company also said it would need to ensure that any potential expansion would not undermine the privacy properties or effectiveness of the features.

Broadly speaking, Apple said expanding features to third parties is the company's general approach and has been ever since it introduced support for third-party apps with the introduction of the App Store on iPhone OS 2 in 2008.

Workers used to support Apple's call centers around the world have complained about plans to install cameras to monitor them when working from home, NBC News reports.

Employees of Teleperformance in Colombia, a major call center company used by Apple, have raised concerns about lengthy new contracts that allow them to be monitored by AI-powered cameras installed in their homes, voice analytics, and storage of data about workers' family members, including children. One worker based in Bogota, who works on the Apple account, told NBC News:

The contract allows constant monitoring of what we are doing, but also our family. I think it's really bad. We don't work in an office. I work in my bedroom. I don't want to have a camera in my bedroom.

The contract asked workers to agree to video cameras being installed in their home or on their computers, angled toward their workspace, to record and monitor them in real-time. It also included the requirement for consent to be monitored using AI-powered video analysis tools that can identify restricted objects around the workspace, such as cellphones.

In addition, it asked workers to agree to the sharing of data and images relating to any children they have under the age of 18 who may be picked up by video and audio monitoring tools, give biometric data, including fingerprints, and even take polygraph tests.

According to The Guardian, Teleperformance's software scans for video breaches of work rules and sends this to managers. Workers have to click "break mode" in the software to leave their desks and offer an explanation for doing so. Workers also risk being marked as "idle" if they do not use their mouse or keyboard for a certain amount of time.

Workers were reportedly told by their supervisors that if they refused to sign the new contract, they would be moved off of the Apple account.

Outside Colombia, Teleperformance uses software called TP Cloud Campus, which allows staff to work remotely in more than 19 markets, but also includes "AI to monitor clean desk policy and fraud" by analyzing camera feeds. Teleperformance has enabled 240,000 of around 380,000 employees to work from home around the world, including in India, Mexico, and the Philippines, via the TP Cloud Campus software.

Teleperformance employees in Albania, including those who work on Apple's UK account, complained to the country's Information and Data Protection Commissioner about proposals to introduce video monitoring in their homes, which resulted in Teleperformance being barred from using cameras to monitor staff working from home in that country.

A Teleperformance spokesperson told NBC News that the new contracts obtain consent for a range of scenarios to comply with data privacy laws as it develops and optimizes tools for long-term working from home for employees and clients, improving the "Teleperformance Colombia experience for both our employees and our customers, with privacy and respect as key factors in everything we do."

Workers said that management told them that it was clients who requested the additional monitoring to improve security and prevent data breaches while working from home, but the move to implement monitoring technology in employees' homes does not appear to have come from Apple. Amazon and Uber are also among Teleperformance's clients.

A spokesperson for Apple, Nick Leahy, said that the company "prohibits the use of video or photographic monitoring by our suppliers and have confirmed Teleperformance does not use video monitoring for any of their teams working with Apple." Apple said that it audited Teleperformance in Colombia this year and did not find any "core violations of our strict standards," adding "We investigate all claims and will continue to ensure everyone across our supply chain is treated with dignity and respect."

Apple is sending surveys to select owners of the now-discontinued 2015 12-inch MacBook, asking them about their opinion on the laptop's size, feature set, and more.

Apple announced the 12-inch MacBook in 2015 as a super-light and thin laptop aimed at customers needing an ultra-portable notebook. The 12-inch MacBook featured a fanless design, an Intel processor and was the first Mac to feature the butterfly keyboard. The laptop started at $1299.

The 12-inch form factor was considerably popular, as customers enjoyed its thin and light design. Apple updated the MacBook in 2016 and 2017 but discontinued it in 2019 following the launch of the redesigned MacBook Air with Retina Display.

The survey sent out to select customers of the 12-inch MacBook was rather generic. It consisted of simple questions asking customers for their opinion on the laptop's size, features, and what they would change about it.

Apple periodically sends out surveys to customers, and just last week sent out surveys to current customers of the iPad mini. Given the 12-inch MacBook has been discontinued, it's hard to assume Apple will reintroduce it into its lineup.

Although, given the survey, Apple may be beginning to realize the market that exists for ultra-thin and portable laptops and could be contemplating working on a Mac notebook tailored for that market demographic. Alternatively, Apple may feel there's no need for a 12-inch MacBook given its current 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro offerings with an added Magic Keyboard accessory.

A report last year suggested that an updated 12-inch MacBook would be one of the first Mac laptops to be announced featuring an Apple silicon chip. That did not come true, and Apple instead updated its 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro.

(Thanks, Zollotech)

Update: According to MacRumors readers, Apple is sending surveys about other Macs as well, including the iMac and the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌. Questions are similar with the ‌MacBook Pro‌ owner asked about ports, screen size, and more.

Apple and Netflix are among the bidders for an "Oscar bait" film starring Jennifer Lawrence as the late Hollywood talent agent Sue Mengers, according to Variety. Bidding for the film has reportedly surpassed $80 million and could climb higher.

Mengers was a prominent Hollywood "superagent" from the 1960s through the 1980s, representing some big names in acting like Barbra Streisand and Burt Reynolds. She was known for her outsized personality while trying to secure the best deal possible for her A-list clients. The film adaptation of her life is directed by Paolo Sorrentino, who won an Academy Award for Italian film "The Great Beauty" in 2014.

Lawrence is best known for playing Katniss Everdeen in the "The Hunger Games" film series and Mystique in the "X-Men" film series, as well as starring in films like "Winter's Bone" and "American Hustle." Lawrence is also set to star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the upcoming Netflix film "Don't Look Up," which will tell the story of two low-level astronomers who must go on a media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy Earth.

Apple TV+ is in the midst of securing several star-studded original films, with the streaming service set to gain slavery thriller "Emancipation" starring Will Smith and the high-profile Western crime drama film "Killers of the Flower Moon" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, Brendan Fraser, and several other big names.

Apple appears to be planning to release at least one more update to the iOS 14 operating system ahead of the launch of iOS 15, according to code spotted in Xcode.

There are mentions of all of the released versions of iOS 14 in Xcode, along with a mention of iOS 14.8, which suggests that the new update could be coming in the near future, either ahead of or alongside iOS 15.

MacRumors has also spotted iOS 14.8 in its analytics, which appears to confirm Apple's work on the new version of iOS 14.

Apple typically stops working on prior iOS updates when the launch of new versions of iOS approach in the late summer and fall, so it is unusual to get a 14.8 update. When new iOS updates are coming, Apple drops its work on the current version and it usually only gets critical security updates.

Apple has, in fact, never released a .8 update for the iOS operating system. iOS 11 stopped at iOS 11.4, iOS 12 stopped at iOS 12.5, and iOS 13 stopped at iOS 13.7.

The release schedule may be different this year because Apple plans to offer users a choice between iOS 14 and iOS 15. Apple will allow iPhone and iPad users to remain on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 even after the launch of the new iOS and iPadOS 15 updates.

iOS now offers a choice between two software update versions in the Settings app. You can update to the latest version of iOS 15 as soon as it's released for the latest features and most complete set of security updates. Or continue on iOS 14 and still get important security updates until you're ready to upgrade to the next major version.

Though this may be aimed at those who are unable to update their devices right away because of restrictions or requirements implemented by work organizations and schools, it will also be appreciated for those who are unwilling to upgrade to iOS 15 after Apple's recent Child Safety feature announcement.

It is not yet clear what will be included in the iOS 14.8 update. It may focus on bug fixes, performance improvements, and other optimizations rather than major new features given Apple's focus on iOS 15.

As many as 44 percent of iPhone users intend to upgrade to an ‌iPhone‌ 13 model and displays with 120Hz refresh rates is the most anticipated new feature, according to a new survey by SellCell.

Of the 44 percent of respondents that intend to upgrade to an ‌iPhone‌ 13 model, 38.2 percent intend to buy the 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 13, 30.8 percent intend to buy the 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, and 24 percent intend to buy the 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro.

Strikingly, a mere seven percent of respondents are interested in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini. Apple is expected to discontinue the 5.4-inch mini form factor model next year due to poor sales.

The rumored feature that customers are most excited for in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup is a high-refresh rate 120Hz display, according to 22 percent of survey respondents. 18.2 percent of respondents are hoping for under-display Touch ID, but may be disappointed as this is not expected to come to new ‌iPhone‌ models until 2023. 16 percent are anticipating an always-on display, while 10.9 percent are excited about the prospect of a smaller notch.

The responses also indicated that customers are least excited for new color options, a faster processor, reverse wireless charging, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, with these potential features being favored in less than five percent of survey responses.

Some of Apple's other upcoming products, such as the Apple Watch Series 7 and third-generation AirPods aroused little interest from survey respondents. 72.7 percent of respondents said that they were not interested in buying the Apple Watch Series 7 and 87.1 percent of respondents said that they were not interested in buying third-generation AirPods.

Compared to the high level of interest in upgrading to the ‌iPhone‌ 13, the Apple Watch Series 7 and third-generation AirPods appear to be significantly less enticing to potential customers.

SellCell's findings were based on survey responses from more than 3,000 ‌iPhone‌ owners aged 18 or older, based in the United States, between July 28 and August 6.

A team of Apple employees that are part of Apple Car's development reportedly visited South Korea on a secret business trip to meet with. local companies, such as LG, the SK Group, and others, to discuss Apple's automotive ambitions and possible business opportunities.

That is, at least, according to a report citing South Korean sources from Taiwanese DigiTimes, who claim that during their trip, the employees met with LG and the SK Group, a prominent South Korean company consisting of 95 subsidiary companies, to discuss the Apple Car.

The report says that the meeting was part of Apple's continued efforts to find partners suitable for joining its Apple Car supply chain. Apple is said to be actively seeking new suppliers and major business partners that will help launch its autonomous vehicle.

A separate report by The Korea Times cites a senior executive who said that Apple officials were in South Korea to seek "business partners in Korea for its EV business" and that "without partnerships with Korean vendors, Apple won't be able to complete its EV business plan." The executive said talks are "still in the early stages."

The report continues noting that Apple held "advanced" meetings with subsidiaries of SK Group and LG Electronics. Apple is possibly eyeing partners in South Korea thanks to its alleged plan to use lithium iron phosphate batteries in the Apple Car, which South Korean suppliers are currently mass-producing.

While Apple is seeking suppliers outside of the United States, the company is also reportedly committed to ensuring that the battery used in the Apple Car will be produced in the United States. Speculation may lead some to believe that part of Apple's goal in South Korea was an attempt to convince suppliers to build factories in the United States.

Apple has been working on its autonomous vehicle for the past few years, but it's not expected to be official until at least 2025, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple is encouraging as many users as it can to install the latest public betas of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, tvOS, and watchOS 8.

In an email sent to users enrolled in its Beta Software Program, spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple told recipients they can "help shape Apple software by test-driving pre-release versions and letting us know what you think."

Apple is expected to release beta 5 of its new operating systems soon, and the company clearly wants as much feedback about the software as possible before it officially releases them to the public in September.

If you're interested in trying out the latest iOS 15 public beta but aren't sure where to start, be sure to check out our how-to guide.

Apple has published a FAQ titled "Expanded Protections for Children" which aims to allay users' privacy concerns about the new CSAM detection in iCloud Photos and communication safety for Messages features that the company announced last week.

"Since we announced these features, many stakeholders including privacy organizations and child safety organizations have expressed their support of this new solution, and some have reached out with questions," reads the FAQ. "This document serves to address these questions and provide more clarity and transparency in the process."

Some discussions have blurred the distinction between the two features, and Apple takes great pains in the document to differentiate them, explaining that communication safety in Messages "only works on images sent or received in the Messages app for child accounts set up in Family Sharing," while CSAM detection in ‌iCloud Photos‌ "only impacts users who have chosen to use ‌iCloud Photos‌ to store their photos… There is no impact to any other on-device data."

From the FAQ:

These two features are not the same and do not use the same technology.

Communication safety in Messages is designed to give parents and children additional tools to help protect their children from sending and receiving sexually explicit images in the Messages app. It works only on images sent or received in the Messages app for child accounts set up in Family Sharing. It analyzes the images on-device, and so does not change the privacy assurances of Messages. When a child account sends or receives sexually explicit images, the photo will be blurred and the child will be warned, presented with helpful resources, and reassured it is okay if they do not want to view or send the photo. As an additional precaution, young children can also be told that, to make sure they are safe, their parents will get a message if they do view it.

The second feature, CSAM detection in iCloud Photos, is designed to keep CSAM off iCloud Photos without providing information to Apple about any photos other than those that match known CSAM images. CSAM images are illegal to possess in most countries, including the United States. This feature only impacts users who have chosen to use iCloud Photos to store their photos. It does not impact users who have not chosen to use iCloud Photos. There is no impact to any other on-device data. This feature does not apply to Messages.

The rest of the document is split into three sections (in bold below), with answers to the following commonly asked questions:

• Communication safety in Messages
• Who can use communication safety in Messages?
• Does this mean Messages will share information with Apple or law enforcement?
• Does this break end-to-end encryption in Messages?
• Does this feature prevent children in abusive homes from seeking help?
• Will parents be notified without children being warned and given a choice?
• CSAM detection
• Does this mean Apple is going to scan all the photos stored on my iPhone?
• Will this download CSAM images to my ‌iPhone‌ to compare against my photos?
• Why is Apple doing this now?
• Security for CSAM detection for iCloud Photos
• Can the CSAM detection system in ‌iCloud Photos‌ be used to detect things other than CSAM?
• Could governments force Apple to add non-CSAM images to the hash list?
• Can non-CSAM images be "injected" into the system to flag accounts for things other than CSAM?
• Will CSAM detection in ‌iCloud Photos‌ falsely flag innocent people to law enforcement?

Interested readers should consult the document for Apple's full responses to these questions. However, it's worth noting that for those questions which can be responded to with a binary yes/no, Apple begins all of them with "No" with the exception of the following three questions from the section titled "Security for CSAM detection for ‌iCloud Photos‌:"

Can the CSAM detection system in iCloud Photos be used to detect things other than CSAM?
Our process is designed to prevent that from happening. CSAM detection for iCloud Photos is built so that the system only works with CSAM image hashes provided by NCMEC and other child safety organizations. This set of image hashes is based on images acquired and validated to be CSAM by child safety organizations. There is no automated reporting to law enforcement, and Apple conducts human review before making a report to NCMEC. As a result, the system is only designed to report photos that are known CSAM in iCloud Photos. In most countries, including the United States, simply possessing these images is a crime and Apple is obligated to report any instances we learn of to the appropriate authorities.

Could governments force Apple to add non-CSAM images to the hash list?
Apple will refuse any such demands. Apple's CSAM detection capability is built solely to detect known CSAM images stored in iCloud Photos that have been identified by experts at NCMEC and other child safety groups. We have faced demands to build and deploy government-mandated changes that degrade the privacy of users before, and have steadfastly refused those demands. We will continue to refuse them in the future. Let us be clear, this technology is limited to detecting CSAM stored in iCloud and we will not accede to any government's request to expand it. Furthermore, Apple conducts human review before making a report to NCMEC. In a case where the system flags photos that do not match known CSAM images, the account would not be disabled and no report would be filed to NCMEC.

Can non-CSAM images be "injected" into the system to flag accounts for things other than CSAM?
Our process is designed to prevent that from happening. The set of image hashes used for matching are from known, existing images of CSAM that have been acquired and validated by child safety organizations. Apple does not add to the set of known CSAM image hashes. The same set of hashes is stored in the operating system of every iPhone and iPad user, so targeted attacks against only specific individuals are not possible under our design. Finally, there is no automated reporting to law enforcement, and Apple conducts human review before making a report to NCMEC. In the unlikely event of the system flagging images that do not match known CSAM images, the account would not be disabled and no report would be filed to NCMEC.

Apple has faced significant criticism from privacy advocates, security researchers, cryptography experts, academics, and others for its decision to deploy the technology with the release of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, expected in September.

This has resulted in an open letter criticizing Apple's plan to scan iPhones for CSAM in ‌iCloud Photos‌ and explicit images in children's messages, which has gained over 5,500 signatures as of writing. Apple has also received criticism from Facebook-owned WhatsApp, whose chief Will Cathcart called it "the wrong approach and a setback for people's privacy all over the world." Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney also attacked the decision, claiming he'd "tried hard" to see the move from Apple's point of view, but had concluded that, "inescapably, this is government spyware installed by Apple based on a presumption of guilt."

"No matter how well-intentioned, Apple is rolling out mass surveillance to the entire world with this," said prominent whistleblower Edward Snowden, adding that "if they can scan for kiddie porn today, they can scan for anything tomorrow." The non-profit Electronic Frontier Foundation also criticized Apple's plans, stating that "even a thoroughly documented, carefully thought-out, and narrowly-scoped backdoor is still a backdoor."