Tag: ios

Apple Could Be Forced to Let iPhone Users Uninstall Photos App in Europe: Report

Apple has reportedly found itself in hot water with the European Union (EU) again. Earlier this year, the EU brought the Digital Markets Act (DMA) into effect with a deadline of March 6. Among many user-centric policies, the act also required consumer tech companies to focus on interoperability and offer an open ecosystem where users have a choice in picking a particular app in a device as the default. While Apple added support for alternative app marketplaces and allowed third-party browsers to run their engine to comply with the act, the EU believes the Photos app is still in violation.

On March 25, the European Commission (EC) opened a non-compliance investigation against Apple, Google, and Meta. For Apple, three reasons were listed in the press release which stated, “The Commission has opened proceedings against Apple regarding their measures to comply with obligations to (i) enable end users to easily uninstall any software applications on iOS, (ii) easily change default settings on iOS and (iii) prompt users with choice screens which must effectively and easily allow them to select an alternative default service, such as a browser or search engine on their iPhones.”

According to a report by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber, part one of the above-stated reasons refers to the Photos app. Gruber highlights this from the remarks of EC’s Executive Vice President, Margrethe Vestager. She said, “Apple also failed to make several apps un-installable (one of them would be Photos) and prevents end-users from changing their default status (for example Cloud), as required by the DMA.”

Allowing users to delete the Photos app might be tricky for the iPhone maker. As Gruber pointed out in the report, Apple’s system apps are deeply integrated into the operating system. The Photos app, for example, is not just an app to see the photos in the gallery but also serves the purpose of granting third-party apps different levels of access to it to enhance security. The Photos app is also integrated with iCloud and allows users to share selected albums or the entire gallery with other users. To make the Photos app uninstallable and allow a third-party gallery app with the same access might require Apple to re-engineer the entire iOS itself.

With the non-compliance case now open, the EC intends to conclude the proceedings within 12 months. Apple will now have to undergo an investigation where if the regulators do not give justifiable reasons for not making the app uninstallable, Apple might have to pay up to 20 percent of its total worldwide revenue in fines. The EC highlights that in cases of systematic infringements, it may also oblige the gatekeeper (the consumer tech company) to sell a business or parts of it, or ban it from acquiring additional services related to the non-compliance.

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iQoo 12 Anniversary Edition India Launch Set for April 9; Price, Colourway, Key Features Revealed



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iOS 17.4.1 Rolling Out With Bug Fixes, Security Updates Alongside iPadOS 17.4.1: How to Download

iOS 17.4.1 is rolling out to eligible iPhone models, bringing a few bug fixes and security updates in tow, according to Apple. The minor update comes shortly after the iPhone maker released iOS 17.4 — the update that brought support for third party app stores in the European Union (EU), transcripts for Apple Podcasts, and new emoji — on March 5. The company’s latest iOS software update has been released alongside iPadOS 17.4.1, which also contains some of these important fixes.

Just like previous iOS 17 releases, the latest update to iOS 17.4.1 is available to download on iPhone XS and newer models, while the iPadOS 17.4.1 update can be installed on eligible iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Pro, and iPad Air models. Users on the iPhone 8 series, iPhone X, and some older iPad models can download and install iOS 16.7.7 and iPadOS 16.7.7.

Apple’s release notes state that the latest iOS 17.4.1 update delivers “important bug fixes and security updates” and says it is recommended for all users. However, the company’s support page does not currently reveal details of security flaws that were fixed and states that details will be provided in the future. The company also displays the same message for the iPadOS 17.4.1 update on its website.

Earlier this month, Apple rolled out iOS 17.4 with several changes for users in the EU. In order to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, the company now allows third party app stores in the EU, while users in the region are presented with options to set third party browsers as the default app on iOS. These changes are limited to iOS in the EU — iPadOS 17.4 was also released at the same time, without any of these features.

The update to iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 also brought support for new emoji — mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chain, and shaking heads. Users who have updated to the latest versions will be able to send these emoji and view them in various apps, after updating to iOS 17.4 or iPadOS 17.4.

Appe also improved its Stolen Device Protection feature with the update to iOS 17.4, while enabling transcription for Apple Podcasts. Siri’s ability to read messages in different languages was also expanded, while owners of the latest iPhone 15 series will be able to see battery cycle count, manufacture date, and the date of first use in the Battery Health sections in the Settings app.

In order to download and install the iOS 17.4.1 update on your iPhone, you can open the Settings app and tap on General > Software Update > Install Now. The process is the same for iPadOS 17.4.1, and you should ensure that your devices are connected to a charger while installing these updates.

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iOS 18 ‘VendorUI’ Internal Builds Issued to Factories for Quality Control Testing: Report

iOS 18 is expected to be released in the second half of this year and Apple is expected to take the wraps off its next iPhone operating system update in the coming months at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024. The iPhone maker is reportedly issuing an early version of the iOS 18 update to factories and other partners for quality control testing. This is said to be a limited version of Apple’s iOS operating system, with irrelevant applications and features removed from the user interface (UI) before it is distributed by the company.

According to a MacRumors report that cites a private X (formerly Twitter) account that is said to have a good track record of leaking details related to Apple, the iPhone maker has begun sharing a version of iOS 18 called “VendorUI” in a controlled manner with “factories and relevant vendors”.  This version contains some elements of iOS that are expected to be unveiled by the company in the coming months at WWDC 2024.

Apple develops five different versions of iOS every year, according to the report. Two of these — LLDiags (a low-level diagnostics version) and NonUI (a version for hardware engineers and calibration machines) are prepared without the iOS user interface. Meanwhile, the VendorUI (used in factories for testing) and InternalUI (used by Apple’s engineers) contain pre-production versions of iOS. Apple’s “Release” version is the one that is finally rolled out to users with all iOS visual elements, apps and features.

As most apps and features not relevant to factories and relevant vendors aren’t included in the VendorUI image, we can expect to learn more about some parts of the iOS 18 UI in the future, ahead of WWDC 2024. Previous reports suggest that Apple is working on overhauling the mobile OS interface with the upcoming iOS 18 update, including some visual elements from visionOS, Apple’s operating system for the Vision Pro mixed reality headset.

As per previous reports, Apple is expected to focus on bringing a lot of new AI features and functionality to eligible iPhone models with the iOS 18 update. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously stated that the company hopes the AI-infused iOS 18 update — expected to arrive later this year — will convince more customers to upgrade to the iPhone 16 series of smartphones. The next generation iPhone lineup and iOS 18 software update could be released in the third quarter of 2024, based on the company’s launch schedule in recent years. 

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OnePlus Nord CE 4 to Get 8GB LPDDR4X RAM; Storage Specification Also Confirmed Ahead of India Launch



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Apple Blocks Fortnite Maker Epic Games From Launching Its Own iOS Store in EU

Apple escalated its feud with Epic Games on Wednesday, blocking the Fortnite video-game maker from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe.

The two companies have been in a legal battle since 2020, when the gaming firm alleged that Apple’s practice of charging up to 30 percent commissions on in-app payments on its iPhone Operating System (iOS) devices violated US antitrust rules.

The latest challenge from Epic comes as Apple struggles with concerns about tepid demand for its iPhones in China, and its stock has tumbled 12 percent so far this year, underperforming its big tech peers in the US Its shares were largely unchanged on Wednesday.

Attempts by regulators and competitors such as Epic to pave the way for rival marketplaces on Apple’s devices are a major threat to the Silicon Valley heavyweight’s profits and control of its own ecosystem.

European lawmakers are forcing Apple to allow those third-party marketplaces with a law called the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that takes effect this week.

Separately, Brussels antitrust regulators on Monday fined Apple EUR 1.84 billion ($2 billion or roughly Rs. 16,547 crore) for thwarting competition from music streaming rivals via restrictions on its App Store, Apple’s first ever penalty for breaching EU rules.

Epic was working to take advantage of the DMA, but Apple blocked those efforts on Wednesday, citing Epic’s past breaches of contract in the long-running legal dispute.

Apple terminated a new developer account that Epic had created in Sweden. Epic had created the account in an effort to put Fortnite and other games back on iPhones in Europe by running its own game store on Apple’s devices. Apple must allow third-party stores on its devices, under the new European law.

The developer accounts are important because software creators cannot distribute apps to iPhones and iPads without one. Apple had previously terminated some of Epic’s developer accounts in 2020, after Epic purposely broke Apple’s in-app payment rules, using its violation of the rules and subsequent banishment from the App Store as the core of public relations and legal campaign against Apple.

Apple said on Wednesday the court rulings have made clear that it has “sole discretion” to terminate any Epic Games developer account in light of its “egregious” breaches of the company’s developer agreements.

“In light of Epic’s past and ongoing behavior, Apple chose to exercise that right” to terminate Epic Games’ account, Apple said.

Epic alleged that by terminating its account, Apple was removing one of the largest potential competitors to the Apple App Store.

“This is a serious violation of the DMA and shows Apple has no intention of allowing true competition on iOS devices,” Epic Games said.

The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple in January proposed certain changes ahead of a March 7 deadline to comply with certain conditions of the DMA, a legislation meant to make it easier for European users to move between competing services.

The company said it would allow alternative app stores on iPhones and an opt-out from using the in-app payments system, but set a “core technology fee” of 50 euro cents per user account per year for developers who sign up for the new regime.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company’s latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Instagram Adds a New Lock Screen Widget to Help Post Stories Faster on iPhone

Instagram, the social media platform, recently added a new feature to its iOS app that will make clicking and posting Stories faster than before. The app now comes with a new lock screen widget that will directly open the Story Camera and allow users to click a picture or shoot a video and post it as a Story. Instagram is reportedly working on multiple new features. An earlier report highlighted that the company is bringing a Friend Map feature, which could be similar to how Snap Map functions.

The new widget was added without much fanfare. There was no formal announcement by the company or any post by Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram. Over the weekend, many users posted about the feature online. Gadgets 360 was also able to confirm the new lock screen widget and its functionality.

The widget, called Story Camera, occupies a 1×1 grid on the lock screen. The widget icon is simply a circle with the plus icon in it. The description says “Open the Instagram Story Camera directly from your Lock Screen,” and it works exactly like that. Once a user adds the widget, they can simply click on it to move to the story camera interface. There, they can either click an image or shoot a video right away and post it, or add an image from their gallery.

One downside of this widget is that users will not be able to use the native camera app on the iPhone, which can capture higher-quality images. However, it is a good option for those who do not fuss over the image quality and want to quickly post a story. The Story camera also allows users to take advantage of the many in-app filters. The feature was rolled out last week and should reach all users globally in the coming days. Users will require iOS 16 or higher as lock screen widgets are not present in the older OS versions.

Recently, a tipster claimed that Instagram is working on a feature that will let users see the last active location of their friends on a map. Tipped to be known as Friend Map, it appears that feature will open up the world map, where the friends of a user could be visible (if they share their location data). Users can also add notes and read notes left by other users.

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iPhone Devices Under Threat as New iOS Trojan That Targets Facial Recognition Data Reported

iPhone devices are being targeted by a rare trojan called GoldDigger, a cybersecurity firm has reported. The malware is part of a cluster of aggressive banking trojans that have been affecting users in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The earlier spotted malware group was only affecting Android users, but a new version has now been unearthed that specifically targets iOS and steals facial recognition data and other sensitive information from devices. This development is rare since Apple is known to be proactive in releasing security patches for its operating system.

Cybersecurity firm Group-IB was behind the discovery of the iOS trojan. The group has been tracking it since October 2023, when it first found a new variant of Android malware and named it GoldDigger. The malicious programme was found to be a banking trojan that steals financial information and targets banking apps, e-wallets, and crypto-wallets. It was first spotted in Vietnam but later identified as a cluster that was affecting the entire APAC region.

In its findings, the group noted that “a new sophisticated mobile Trojan specifically aimed at iOS users, dubbed GoldPickaxe.iOS by Group-IB” has been discovered. The malware is capable of stealing facial recognition data, identity documents, and can even intercept SMS.

The cybersecurity group also claimed that the threat actors behind the GoldDigger malware likely take advantage of face-swapping AI tools to create deepfakes based on the Face ID data. Then, using a combination of identity documents, access to SMS, and Face ID data, the hacker behind the programme can gain access to the victim’s iPhone and their banking apps. The threat actors then make repeated bank transactions to steal the victim’s money. As per Group-IB, this method of monetary theft was previously unseen.

It was reported that the malware was earlier distributed through the TestFlight app, which lets developers beta-test new features before rolling them out, however, it was quickly removed by Apple. Now, it is being spread through a multi-level social engineering technique which involves tricking the victims into installing a Mobile Device Management (MDM) profile.

The trojan is suspected to be connected with an organised Chinese-speaking cybercrime group and is mainly affecting Vietnam and Thailand. There is a possibility that it might spread to other regions as well. The cybersecurity group stated that it has informed Apple about the trojan, and it is likely that the iPhone maker is already in the process of creating a fix.

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Apple Updates App Store Connect, TestFlight Ahead of Upcoming Support for Third-Party App Marketplaces in the EU

Apple has been making preparations to open the gates of iOS to allow third-party app marketplaces and apps on its platform in the European Union (EU). It recently rolled out the iOS 17.4 betas versions of the upcoming update that added support for alternative marketplaces. Now, the iPhone maker has released updates for App Store Connect and TestFlight apps to onboard these developers. It has also asked the alternative marketplaces to make submissions for the notarisation process for the third-party apps that will be made available on iOS.

Announcing the changes to the two apps on its developer website, Apple said that developers in the EU can now add their marketplaces to the App Store Connect app that lets developers monitor their app’s sales and downloads, reply to App Store reviews, get notifications for new reviews, and more. Similarly, changes have been made to the TestFlight app, which lets developers beta-test new features before rolling it out.

But before alternative marketplaces can be added to the iOS ecosystem, the developers will have to agree to Apple’s business terms and complete the notarisation process. According to a report by MacRumors, business terms include a core technology fee that Apple is charging both the marketplace and the app by the number of installs. Third-party marketplaces will have to pay EUR 0.50 (roughly Rs. 45) per instal, and apps will have to pay the same amount after completing one million instals.

The notarisation process will also be important for third-party marketplaces and apps as Apple will determine whether an app is malicious or not. While a process like that is needed to ensure user safety from scammers and hackers, some have raised concerns about whether Apple will use this to disqualify competing apps and marketplaces.

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, is among those who voiced their displeasure when Apple first announced the process. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), he called the payment by instals a “junk fee”. On the notarisation process, he said, “Epic has always supported the notion of Apple notarisation and malware scanning for apps, but we strongly reject Apple’s twisting this process to undermine competition and continue imposing Apple taxes on transactions they’re not involved in.”

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Instagram Spotted Working on AI Message Writing Feature; Threads Tests Post Bookmarks



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Telegram’s New Update Brings Several Improvements to Messages, and More Features

Telegram received an update recently that added new features to the instant messaging platform. The most notable of them is Saved Messages 2.0 which now lets users filter and customise going through the saved texts, media, and links. Additionally, the platform also added several new features throughout the month such as One-Time Voice and Video Messages, pause and resume recordings, Read Time in private chats, a new design for shared contacts, and more. The update is being rolled out to both Android and iOS versions of the Telegram app.

Saved Messages 2.0

With Saved Messages, users can forward text, media, and links for viewing easily later. The messenger platform has now made several improvements to the feature. First, users can now view the saved messages as chats. This feature will let you see the forwarded messages as separate chat windows, with each featuring the messages saved from a particular contact, group, or channel. Users can also pin any chat to keep it at the top.

To do this, tap the title space after clicking on Saved Messages. It will automatically take you to the chats. Alternatively, you can tap on the three vertical dots on the top right and select View as Messages* or View as Chats.

Second, tags have also been added to Saved Messages. Now, users can use emojis to tag and filter the saved messages. The tags are based on emojis but users can also use words to name the tags. Once added, clicking on a tag will quickly filter the saved messages for that tag. To use this feature, users can simply react to a message with an emoji, and it will become its tag. These tags will appear on the top of the Saved Message screen and can be clicked to filter by tags.

Finally, a new Saved tab has been added to the shared media section. Every Telegram chat, group, and channel comes with a shared media section that lets the user quickly scroll through images, documents, and links. This section now has a saved tab that will show all the Saved Messages from that particular chat.

Other Telegram features

One-Time Voice and Video Messages: Telegram has introduced the view-once setting for voice and video messages, letting users gain more control over shared media. Upon playback, these messages are automatically deleted, which makes them more secure. To send one-time messages, users can long-press the record button, swipe up to lock them, and then press the One-Time icon to enable the feature. For videos, it works exactly the same as images.

Pause and resume recording: Alongside, Telegram has also added the feature to pause a recording midway. Earlier, users had to send several voice or video messages if there was a break in between. Now, users can simply pause the recording and then play it again later. To enable this, simply swipe up while long pressing the record button and then press the pause button.

Read Time in private chats: In Telegram, when a message sent by you shows one check mark, it means it has been delivered but not read. Similarly, two check marks mean the message has been read as well. Now, in private chats, users can see the Read Time to know the exact time when a message was read. However, users can choose to hide the read status through the Privacy Settings. Read times are only visible for 7 days after the message was seen.

New design for shared contacts: In October, Telegram added a new feature for premium users where they could add a colour, colour combination, and emojis to customize their account in the Appearance Settings. This change would be reflected in their name, the messages they send, any media or links they share, as well as their replies. Now, the messenger platform has added a new feature where sharing the contact of a premium user will create a contact card that would show this customization.

Apart from this, new app icons have been added to Telegram for macOS, video recording and overall quality have been improved, and faster loading times and higher-quality video stories for premium users have been added.

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Threads App Sees Rise in Downloads, Competitor X Falls in Top Downloaded Apps List: Report

Threads was launched by Meta’s Instagram in July 2023. It is a microblogging platform, similar to X (formerly Twitter). Within the first five days of its launch, the application saw 100 million registered users. However, the platform struggled to retain regular users on the text-based app after the initial rush. Since then the company has introduced several new features on the application aiming to enhance user experience. Threads appears to be gaining its footing back in the game as it saw an increase in the number of new downloads, while competitor X took a tumble.

An app intelligence firm Appfigures claimed in an analysis that Threads had 12 million new downloads on Apple’s App Store and 16 million on Google Play in December 2023. This resulted in the application ranking at number 4 and number 8, respectively on the Most Downloaded Apps list drawn up by the firm. Combined, Threads ranked at number 6 on the list of new downloads.

Threads currently has an estimated 160 million users, according to an online tracker, which notes that it uses “an approximation method based on a sampling of follower counts” since Meta stopped sharing user count numbers on July 11, 2023.

Threads parent Instagram ranked number 1 on the list with a combined new downloads count of 54 million, surpassing TikTok, which was listed with total new downloads of 47 million. Meta-owned Facebook and WhatsApp also made it to the top 10, with combined new downloads of 39 and 38 million, ranking at number 3 and 4, respectively.

A TechCrunch report shared an extensive version of the list, which showed Elon Musk-owned X with an estimated total new downloads of 8.5 million, resulting in the application climbing down to the 36th position. The drop may not be as alarming as it looks as a PCMag report notes that Twitter was launched in 2006 and already has 540 million users.

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