Following user concern over Apple using Chinese company Tencent as one of its Safe Browsing partners for Safari, Apple has issued a statement assuring customers that website URLs are not shared with its safe browsing partners.

For those unfamiliar with the feature, Safari sends data to Google Safe Browsing to cross reference URLs against a blacklist to protect users against scams and malicious sites. It recently came to light that Apple is also using Tencent for this purpose, and there was concern that data from users outside of China was being sent to Tencent.

According to Apple’s statement, that is not the case, and Tencent is used for devices that have their region code set to mainland China. Users in the United States, the UK, and other countries do not have their website browsing checked against Tencent’s safe list.

Apple protects user privacy and safeguards your data with Safari Fraudulent Website Warning, a security feature that flags websites known to be malicious in nature. When the feature is enabled, Safari checks the website URL against lists of known websites and displays a warning if the URL the user is visiting is suspected of fraudulent conduct like phishing.

To accomplish this task, Safari receives a list of websites known to be malicious from Google, and for devices with their region code set to mainland China, it receives a list from Tencent. The actual URL of a website you visit is never shared with a safe browsing provider and the feature can be turned off.

Safari occasionally receives a list of hash prefixes of URLs known to be malicious from Google or Tencent, choosing between them based on the device’s region setting (Tencent for China, Google for other countries). Hash prefixes are the same across multiple URLs, which means the hash prefix received by Safari does not uniquely identify a URL.

Prior to loading a website, when the fraudulent website warning feature is toggled on, Safari checks whether a website URL has a hash prefix to match the hash prefixes of malicious sites. If a match is found, Safari sends the hash prefix to its safe browsing provider and then asks for the full list of URLs that have a hash prefix that matches the suspicious one.

When Safari receives the list of URLs, it checks the original suspicious URL against the list, and if there is a match, Safari shows the warning pop up suggesting users stay away from the site. The check happens on the user’s device, and the URL itself is not shared with the safe browsing provider, but because Safari communicates directly with the safe browsing provider, the providers do receive device IP addresses.

Information about Apple’s safe browsing partners can be found in the About Safari and Privacy screen, available in the Privacy and Security section of the Safari portion of the Settings app. Fraudulent website protection is enabled by default, and those still concerned about the safety check feature can turn it off by deselecting the “Fraudulent Website Warning” toggle.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.

This article, “Apple Clarifies Tencent’s Role in Fraudulent Website Warnings, Says No URL Data is Shared and Checks are Limited to Mainland China” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Netgear today announced a new mesh router in the Orbi family of products, called the Orbi Dual Band Mesh Wi-Fi System. The new system consists of one router and one or more satellites, and is aimed at homes that measure up to 4,500 square feet (with two satellites).

The router and satellites all feature the same design, measuring 4.1 inches on all sides and 2.7 inches tall. As with other mesh systems, after users purchase the base router they can continue to add on satellites to boost the range of the network throughout the home.

The new router delivers Wi-Fi at speeds up to 1.2Gbps, supports MU-MIMO for simultaneous data streaming, includes two high performance internal antennas, and is powered by a quad-core 710MHz processor. Because it’s a dual band router, it also supports 2.4GHz (400Mbps) and 5GHz (866Mbps) bands.

The Orbi Dual Band Mesh Wi-Fi System features Netgear Armor cybersecurity, which is built into the router and satellites to protect the user’s mobile devices and computers. Netgear Armor features anti-virus, anti-malware, and data protection for an unlimited number of devices.

The system also includes Netgear’s Circle parental controls, allowing parents to set age-appropriate settings for each family member, enable safe search, block certain ads, and more.

The parental control settings and other features are performed through Netgear’s Orbi app on iOS and Android, including the device’s setup process. In the app, users can perform speed tests, manage devices on their network, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and more.

The Orbi Dual Band Mesh Wi-Fi System is available to purchase today for $229.99, including one router and two satellites.

This article, “Netgear Launches New Orbi Dual Band Mesh Wi-Fi System for $230” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Users of Reddit’s official iOS app can now share text, link and image-based posts to Snapchat thanks to a new Share Sheet integration in iOS 13 (via TechCrunch). This is the first time Reddit has partnered with another app to allow for content sharing, and the company said it will expand the feature to other social media apps in the future.

Any Reddit user who has Snapchat on their iPhone can tap the “Share” icon on a post in the Reddit app to find the new Snapchat “Share to camera” option. From there, users can choose to send the post to friends or post to their story, and it will appear in Snapchat as a sticker with the Reddit logo, an image, and the title of the link.

“Snapchat is the first platform partner with whom we’re testing a content sharing integration, and we’re excited to see how the feature will shape the sharing habits and experiences among our users,” said Vaibhav Sahgal, Reddit’s Head of Growth Product, in a statement. “We hope the integration empowers redditors to share Reddit content more frequently, while simultaneously exposing new users to the unique content only found on Reddit.”

Reddit is hoping the new integration will lead to more engagement with younger users on its platform. The company is looking to balance out its age demographics, which skew toward older users aged 30 to 49, according to a study from Pew Research Center.

The new feature is only available for Reddit’s “Safe for Work” subreddits, as any other subreddit violates Snapchat’s terms of use. For now, the update is also only on iOS, but Android devices will get it sometime soon.

This article, “Reddit’s New iOS Share Sheet Update Lets You Post Reddit Topics to Snapchat, More Platforms Coming Soon” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Anker is back today with a few deals on useful charging accessories, including wireless chargers, Lightning cables, portable batteries, and wall chargers. We’ve rounded up all of these discounts in the list below, along with each of their expiration dates.

For most, you’ll have until later this week to shop each discount before they expire. Shoppers should also note that this particular batch of Anker products do not require discount codes, and all of their sale prices have been automatically applied.

Anker Sale 10/14

• PowerPort Atom III 60W – $29.99, down from $41.99 (exp. 10/21)
  
• 5-IN-1 USB-C Hub – $19.99, down from $23.99 (exp. 10/20)
  
• PowerLine+ II Lightning 6ft (all colors) – $13.99, down from $19.99 (exp. 10/20)
  
• PowerLine Lightning 3ft (3 pack) – $19.99, down from $23.99 (exp. 10/20)
  
• PowerPort Wireless 5 Stand – $14.44, down from $21.99 (exp. 10/20)
  
• PowerWave 7.5 Pad with Quick Charge Adapter – $31.99, down from $45.99 (exp. 10/20)
  
• PowerCore Lite 20,000 mAh (Black) – $32.12, down from $49.99 (exp. 10/20)
  
• PowerCore Lite 20,000 mAh (White) – $37.79, down from $49.99 (exp. 10/21)

11-Inch iPad Pro Sale

Amazon also has the 11-inch iPad Pro from 2018 (Wi-Fi, 256GB) for $799.99, down from $949.00 ($150 off). This price is only reflected once you add the iPad Pro into your cart.

This model includes a front-facing TrueDepth Camera system that supports Face ID, an edge-to-edge display, and the A12X processor.

9.7-Inch iPad

There is also an ongoing discount on the 9.7-inch iPad from early 2018 on Amazon. You can get the 32GB cellular model for $349.00, down from $459.00 ($110 off) in both Black and Gold. The 128GB cellular model is also on sale for $429.00, down from $559.00 ($130 off) in Silver and Black.

This version of the iPad came out in March 2018, introducing support for the Apple Pencil and Touch ID. Both of the sales listed above represent the lowest-ever prices for each of these models, so be sure to head to Amazon to browse the discounts before they expire.

You can also check out our full Deals Roundup to browse even more discounts and bargains related to Apple products and accessories.

This article, “Deals: Browse Anker’s Newest Discounts, and Save on Apple’s 11-Inch iPad Pro and 9.7-Inch iPad” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple’s Maps app rebuild continues its journey across North America this week, with the company following its pattern of rolling out the enhanced maps in adjacent continental U.S. states.

Before (left) and after – Midwest maps comparison via Reddit user 999999797

Apple has been deploying the enhanced maps up the northeast United States over the last few months, with the rollout recently extending to New York state. Now it has expanded west to cover West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and North Illinois.

You can spot the updated regions by looking for more landscape details like sports fields, parking lots, ground cover, foliage, pools, pedestrian pathways and the like.

The data is gathered by Apple’s own fleet of sensor- and camera-equipped vehicles, as well as first-party data gathered from iPhones using Apple’s differential privacy. The combined data is also being made to ensure search results are more relevant.

The improvements initially rolled out in Northern California in July 2018, followed by Hawaii and Southern California in November 2018, and Arizona, New Mexico, and the Las Vegas metropolitan area in April 2019.

At WWDC 2019, Apple said the updated maps will roll out to the entire United States by the end of the year, followed by additional countries in 2020.

(Thanks, Brian!)

This article, “Apple’s Maps Revamp Creeps into Midwest U.S.” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple’s Fraudulent Website Warning feature in Safari for iOS and Mac has come under scrutiny for using Chinese internet giant Tencent as one of its Safe Browsing providers.

The Safari feature has long sent data to Google Safe Browsing to cross-reference URLs against a blacklist and protect users against phishing scams and sites that attempt to push malware. However, it’s unclear when Apple started sending user data to Tencent as well.

Apple notes in iOS that it sends some user IP addresses to Tencent, but most users are probably unaware of the fact. The mention can be found in the “About Safari & Privacy” screen, which is linked via small text under the Privacy & Security section in Settings -> Safari. The Fraudulent Website Warning feature also found here is enabled by default, so users aren’t likely to know that their IP address may be logged unless they opt to view the information screen.

Apple’s reference to Tencent has been found on devices running iOS 13, but some tweets suggest versions as early as iOS 12.2 also included the Chinese company as a safe browsing provider.

At this point, it’s difficult to know for sure whether Apple users residing outside of China are having their data sent to Tencent, but the company appears to be mentioned on iPhones and iPads registered in the U.S. and the U.K., and possibly in other countries, too.

The privacy implications of shifting Safe Browsing to Tencent’s servers are unknown, because Apple hasn’t said much about it. However, according to Johns Hopkins University professor Matthew Green, a malicious provider could theoretically use Google’s Safe Browsing approach to de-anonymize a user by linking their site requests.

Apple’s relationship with the Chinese government has come in for increasing criticism lately, and that could make customers uneasy about Apple’s links to Tencent, which is known to work closely with the Chinese Communist Party.

As such, Green believes users “deserve to be informed about this kind of change and to make choices about it. At very least, users should learn about these changes before Apple pushes the feature into production, and thus asks millions of their customers to trust them.”

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.

This article, “Apple Sending User Data to Chinese Company for Fraudulent Website Warnings in Safari” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Emmy Magazine is offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at Apple’s new drama “See,” as well as a free three-month trial of the upcoming Apple TV+ streaming service, which launches on November 1.

Apple’s sci-fi thriller, which will debut on the service’s launch day, stars Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard, and is reported to have a budget of $15 million per episode. Both stars adorn the cover of the latest issue of the magazine, which is the official publication of the Television Academy.

Inside, the feature takes a deep dive into Apple’s epic post apocalyptic drama, in which the world has been wiped out by a virus and the remaining survivors have all been rendered blind. The magazine describes the series as a high-quality “Game of Thrones” style show in terms of cinematic world-building.

The coverage also includes interviews with Apple VPs Jamie Erlicht and Zack van Amburg, who explain that dozens of visually impaired and blind actors were cast for the show, and consultants on blindness, biology and survival were hired to make the drama as realistic as possible.

Jason Momoa plays the lead role of Baba Voss, a fearless warrior, leader, and guardian. Momoa is well-known for his role as Khal Drogo in “Game of Thrones,” as well as roles in “Aquaman,” “Stargate Atlantis,” and “Conan the Barbarian.”

Alfre Woodard plays Paris, an advisor and a priestess. Woodard has starred in movies that include “12 Years a Slave,” “Annabelle,” and “Captain America: Civil War,” and she has had roles in several TV shows, such as “Luke Cage,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “State of Affairs.”

Image via Ralph Galvan

Emmy Magazine‘s ‌Apple TV‌+ trial offer comes courtesy of Apple in the form of a full-page ad with a voucher insert, and includes the reader’s name if they’re a subscriber to the magazine.

Apple is working on dozens of original TV shows and movies with high-profile directors, producers, and actors, with all of that content set to be available through ‌Apple TV‌+.

The service will be available on all devices where the TV app is available, which includes iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and ‌Apple TV‌, along with the Mac. The service will cost $4.99 per month and will offer Apple device owners a free in-app 7-day trial. Customers who purchase an iPhone, ‌iPad‌, ‌Apple TV‌ or Mac from September 10 will also be eligible to receive 12 months of the service for free.

This article, “Apple Show ‘See’ Featured in Emmy Magazine With Free Three Month Apple TV+ Trial Offer” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is planning on releasing an iPhone SE 2 in the first quarter of 2020 and starting at a $399 price point, according to the latest research report from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo goes into more detail about the expected specs of the so called “‌iPhone SE‌ 2” in the latest research note obtained by MacRumors. Specs for the new low-end iPhone are said to include:

• A13 CPU (same as iPhone 11)
• 3GB LPDDR4X
• 64GB and 128GB options
• Space Gray, Silver and Red colors
• No 3D Touch

Kuo expects the new ‌iPhone SE‌ 2 will be a popular upgrade option for existing iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S owners.

Despite being referred to as a “‌iPhone SE‌ 2” by Kuo, the analyst expects the form factor of Apple’s new budget iPhone to be similar to the iPhone 8.

This article, “Kuo: iPhone SE 2 Launching in Q1 2020 with A13 at $399 Price” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

In the same week that Apple’s decision to pull a Hong Kong protest app from the App Store drew heavy criticism, a new report from BuzzFeed News claims the company has asked Apple TV+ show runners to avoid negative depictions of China.

As early as 2018, when Apple’s original programming production got underway, company executives reportedly gave guidance to some show creators to “avoid portraying China in a bad light.”

According to the news outlet’s sources, the instruction was given by Apple software and services VP Eddy Cue, as well Morgan Wandell, Apple’s head of international content development.

The attempt to steer content creators away from perceived criticism of China is said to be part of Apple’s efforts to stay in its good books and avoid a repeat of April 2016, when the Chinese State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television shut down the iTunes Movies and iBooks stores, just six months after they had launched in the country.

The store closures were linked to the release of a controversial movie banned in China that imagines Hong Kong in 2025 with language police, mini Red Guards, radical protest and social alienation rife.

One show maker not connected to Apple told BuzzFeed News that the company’s appeasement of Beijing is nothing new in the U.S. movie industry, which China has heavily invested in.

Apple’s tip toeing around the Chinese government isn’t unusual in Hollywood. It’s an accepted practice.”They all do it,” one showrunner who was not affiliated with Apple told BuzzFeed News. “They have to if they want to play in that market. And they all want to play in that market. Who wouldn’t?”

BuzzFeed News also spoke to one app developer who said that getting a phone call from Apple about an issue with China is not uncommon. “It’s not a line of communication that would be open to any discussion,” said the U.S. technology executive. “They have so much market power in general and they wield that pretty indiscriminately.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook told employees on Thursday that the decision to remove the HKmap Live app from the ‌App Store‌ was based on information the company had received that it was being used to target individuals, property, and police, and violated local laws.

Earlier the same day, Apple also removed the app of news outlet Quartz from China’s ‌‌App Store‌‌. The news organization said Apple removed its mobile app after complaints from the Chinese government about content in the app that is illegal in China.”

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.

This article, “Apple Reportedly Told Apple TV+ Show Creators to Avoid Angering China” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

After lots of attention on iOS and iPadOS 13, not to mention parallel updates for watchOS and tvOS, over the past few weeks, this week was the Mac’s turn as we saw the public release of macOS Catalina.

Ming-Chi Kuo also released details on his expectations for Apple product releases in the first half of next year, while Apple itself leaked references to a previously rumored but unreleased Sleep app for Apple Watch. Read on for more on this week’s biggest stories!

Apple Releases macOS Catalina: What to Check Out After Upgrading

macOS Catalina is here! We’ve put together a list of the update’s biggest changes and a video walkthrough of features to check out after upgrading. As with any new software version, some users have encountered some bugs and issues, so be sure to keep an eye on the macOS Catalina section in the MacRumors forums.

Apple says iCloud Drive folder sharing, which will allow users to share folders with a private link, has been delayed until the spring.

Apple has also seeded the second beta of iOS 13.2 with new emojis, the option to delete your Siri and Dictation history and opt out of future audio recordings as part of Siri’s quality evaluation process, and more.

Apple Said to Launch Augmented Reality Headset in Mid 2020

Apple analyst extraordinaire Ming-Chi Kuo is back with yet more predictions this week, this time noting that Apple plans to release an augmented reality headset in the second quarter of 2020, aka March-June.

Interestingly, Kuo suggested that Apple may release multiple headsets in collaboration with third-party brands, although it remains to be seen exactly what he means by that. If the mid 2020 timeframe is right, we’ll soon find out.

iPhone SE 2, iPad Pro With 3D Sensing, and MacBook With Scissor Keyboard Also Expected in 2020

In addition to an augmented reality headset, Kuo also expects Apple to release a so-called “iPhone SE 2” as well as iPad Pro models with 3D sensing rear cameras in the first quarter of 2020.

The “iPhone SE 2” is widely rumored to be similar to the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display with bezels and a Touch ID home button, but with a faster A13 Bionic chip and 3GB of RAM, up from 2GB in the iPhone SE.

Last, Kuo believes an unspecified “MacBook” with a scissor mechanism keyboard will launch in the second quarter of 2020. It is unclear if this refers to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with an all-new design and scissor keyboard that Kuo previously said would launch by the end of 2019.

Camera Comparison: iPhone 11 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10+, the company’s newest flagship device, was unveiled just a month ahead of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, and it’s one of the main competitors to Apple’s latest smartphones.

Both have triple-lens camera setups, so on our YouTube channel this week, we compared the camera quality of the iPhone 11 Pro Max with that of the Galaxy Note 10+ to see if one has an edge over another.

Subscribe to MacRumors on YouTube for new Apple-related videos every week!

Apple Accidentally Mentions a Sleep App for Apple Watch

An eagle-eyed MacRumors reader this week discovered a reference to an unreleased Sleep app for the Apple Watch in an App Store screenshot for the existing Alarms app on the Apple Watch.

“Set your Bedtime and wake up in the Sleep app,” said the since-removed screenshot.

Last month, MacRumors reported that the Sleep app will serve two functions on the Apple Watch, including sleep tracking and an extension of the iPhone’s Bedtime Mode for getting better sleep.

16-Inch MacBook Pro May Ship With 96W USB-C Power Adapter

Apple may be readying a 96W USB-C power adapter for the widely rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro, according to information received by the Chinese-language sibling website of ChargerLAB.

Apple previously confirmed that its upcoming Pro Display XDR will be capable of up to 96W pass-through charging, which is more power than necessary for any portable device that Apple currently ships. Thus, perhaps the higher-power charger is for the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we’ve covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

This article, “Top Stories: macOS Catalina Released, Apple Watch Sleep App, Apple Glasses in 2020?” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums