In this week’s top stories: Group FaceTime is back, a macOS Keychain exploit, Tesla launches new iPhone cases, and Apple releases the second beta of iOS 12.2. Read on for all of this week’s biggest Apple stories.
Apple followed through on its promise and released iOS 12.1.4 this week. The update includes a fix for Group FaceTime, as well as two zero-day vulnerabilities discovered by Google researchers. Group FaceTime remains disabled for users who are running iOS 12.1.3, so be sure to upgrade if you want access.
Meanwhile, a security researcher demonstrated a macOS exploit to access Keychain passwords. The researcher, Linuz Henze, however, is not sharing his findings with Apple out of protest. Apple does not offer a bug bounty program for macOS, and Henze is hoping to encourage Apple to change that.
Apple announced on Tuesday that retail head Angela Ahrendts will depart Apple in April. Deirdre O’Brien is set to take over the retail role through her new combined role as Senior Vice President of Retail + People. Ahrendts has been with Apple for five years, and Apple says she is departing for “personal and professional pursuits.”
Apple Watch fall detection has been credited with saving a man’s life in Norway. After the user suffered a bad overnight fall, the Apple Watch Series 4 was able to detect the fall and call emergency services.
Tesla this week launched a new Amazon store with a collection of iPhone X cases. The store also houses new hoodies, die-cast Model S vehicles, and more. Read all of the details here.
These and the rest of this week’s top Apple stories below…
iOS | macOS | tvOS | watchOS |
- Security researcher demos macOS exploit to access Keychain passwords, but won’t share details with Apple out of protest
- Apple releasing iOS 12.1.4 to fix FaceTime eavesdropping bug later today [Now available]
- New renders match rumored iPhone 11 with stealthy iOS 13 Dark Mode
- What’s the best simple list app for iPhone?
- WhatsApp updated with ability to lock app behind Face ID or Touch ID
- Apple releasing iOS 12.2 and watchOS 5.2 developer beta 2 later today
- Google researcher says iOS 12.1.4 fixes two zero-day vulnerabilities that ‘were exploited in the wild’
- Apple no longer signing iOS 12.1.1 and iOS 12.1.2 after iOS 12.1.3 release
- Popular iOS apps found to record user screens for analytics, sometimes exposing sensitive data
- Apple cracks down on apps that record user screens, threatens removal from the App Store
- iOS 12.2 beta replaces AT&T LTE with ‘5G E’ in certain markets on latest iPhones and iPads
- Netflix brings Smart Downloads to iPhone and iPad after teasing feature last summer
- WhatsApp bans 2M accounts per month, explains the automated tools used
- Apple removing ‘Do Not Track’ from Safari as focus shifts to Intelligent Tracking Prevention
iPhone |
- Tesla unveils new iPhone cases on new Amazon store
- Apple now sells a Belkin Ethernet + Power dongle for iPhones and Lightning iPads
- Apple Pay expansion continues with 20+ new bank partners around the world
- Apple ramping up efforts to design its own radio chip instead of Qualcomm/Intel ones
Mac + iPad |
- iPad mini 5: Everything we know so far about the ‘cheaper’ 7.9-inch iPad
- Multiple users report that Adobe Premiere CC bug blew their MacBook Pro speakers [U: Video]
- Talking iPad workflows and Adobe’s Project Gemini with illustrator Tracie Ching
Top Apple stories, retail |
- Angela Ahrendts departing Apple in April, Deirdre O’Brien named SVP of Retail + People
- Making sense of Angela Ahrendts’ departure and the future of Apple retail
- Tim Cook says Apple will ‘elevate’ retail experience in memo to employees about Ahrendts departure
- Angela Ahrendts details plans for life after Apple at Ralph Lauren fashion show appearance
- Report: Apple looks to sell Stockholm property following blocked flagship store plan
- Major expansion possible for Reston, Virginia Apple Store
- Expanded Natick Mall Apple Store reopens February 16th
Tech Industry |
- Sprint suing AT&T for using fake 5G label on what is really a 4G service [U]
- Twitter share price drops 10% as it reveals daily active users for the first time
- Jack Dorsey says Twitter is considering editable tweets, but you’d still be able to see the original
Apple Watch |
- Apple Watch fall detection credited with saving user in Norway after severe overnight fall
- PSA: A reminder that the Apple Watch Heart Month challenge starts today
Top Apple stories, company |
- Apple exec met with teenager who found FaceTime bug at his Arizona home, will be eligible for bug bounty program
- Apple can reach $1 trillion again if it launches a “media bundle” in 2019, says Morgan Stanley
- Opinion: Apple’s new retail head needs to fix the biggest problem with Apple Stores
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This week’s top videos |
- Hands-on: Osmo Pocket, a really small and powerful gimbal – at a price [Video]
- Review: Nomad Base Station Apple Watch Edition – a legit AirPower alternative? [Video]
Happy Hour Podcast #211 |
This week Benjamin and Zac discuss their hands-on experience with Apple’s new Smart Battery Cases for iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, new places where Apple Pay is accepted, Apple’s first-ever ‘Shot on iPhone’ contest, the latest iPhone 11 and beyond rumors, and much more..
9to5Mac Happy Hour is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play Music, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
Making The Grade |
Making The Grade is a weekly series from Bradley Chambers covering Apple in education. Bradley has been managing Apple devices in an education environment since 2009. Through his experience deploying and managing 100s of Macs and 100s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple’s products work at scale, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for students.
- iTunes U and iBooks Author are suffering from software rot
- Butterfly keyboard reliability has delayed my next Apple lease for my school
- The rise of apps and zero trust networking
- Where are the iBeacons in K-12?
- The AirPlay 2 news from CES has changed my classroom AV plans
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